Despicably Yours
by divine Comedian
Summary: A new villain is threatening the world again and it's the job of the Anti-Villain League to stop him. But this isn't any ordinary villain, He's smart, cunning and violent, And most of all: HE WORKS WITH GRU! (DISCLAIMER: Despicable me is the property of Illumination Entertainment and its not mine at all!)
1. Prologue

**PROLOGUE:**

 **GRU'S JOURNAL ENTRIES**

October 4,SATURDAY

8:30 PM

I still can't believe how remarkable my change of heart would be…

I thought I was alone in this world, and the only friend I got was my career as a villain.

I was close-minded man. I never thought of being emotionally good to others, and I never give a good attention to others as well.

Perhaps I got this awful intention with my mother who shows interest on neither me nor my works… **Nor my dreams.**

But everything changed when I met three orphan girls who I purposely adopted them just to be used as pawns for my villainous scams against that Vector…

And also when I met Lucy, a secret agent of the Anti-Villain League…

I never thought that these people would accept me as who I am. No matter how strange I look, or how odd my actions were, or how despicable my reputation was…

They all accept me… Loved me… and cares about me…

I never felt those things when in my younger years…

I always thought that the world is against me…

Perhaps I was wrong…

I was wrong about the world…

I was wrong about the people around me…

And most importantly…

 **I was wrong about myself…**

I thought being a villain was my destiny, my mission, my sole purpose…

But I underestimate myself about being innocent…

I guess being good is that bad that all…

And I hope that I'll become a good parent…

And a good husband to my Lucy Wilde…

* * *

OCTOBER 6,MONDAY

10:59 AM

Another day, another father's duties…

Woke up early…. take the kids to school… minding my jam and jelly business and freelancing as an Anti-Villain League agent… take down minor bad guys… go home… pick up kids from school… help them do homeworks… go to bed and sleep…. **REPEAT TO THE NEXT DAY, THEN THE NEXT DAY, THEN THE NEXT DAY! Blahblahblahblahblah…**

Yep, everything changed since I quit being a villain but I never thought being a father can be this hard…

I mean, I'm glad I became a good guy and married a good wife and had a quiet life, but I never thought living a **TOO** quiet life can be this **boring…**

Sometimes, I couldn't help but to recall my villain job, the time when I was free and worriless.

I recall the days when me, Dr. Nefario and my minions took away the Time Square Jumbotron in New York, those people were like **"Oh no, Gru strucked again!"**

And also the time when we stole the one-million worth pint-sized Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty in Las Vegas. The casino guys were like **"OMG! That thief Gru took it away…"**

But most importantly, the time when I stole the moon! Boy, I can imagine those people looking at the sky and say. " **Eeeek! Gru the master criminal took the moon!"**

I hate to say this but **I MISSED BEING EVIL…**

Now, I know what Dr. Nefario felt when he thought the same one time.

Large scale crimes…

Criminal adventures…

Respect and Power…

But all I can do was to sighed and accept that all those things are in the past now…

 **What matter most is in the future….**

Where I must raise my three daughters and protect my wife at all cost.

But things changed when Kevin, one of my minions, came into my office and gave me a letter from someone I knew… **It's form the Bank of Evil.**

* * *

OCTOBER 7,TUESDAY

2:30 PM

 **I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!** Mr. Perkins is still demanding me his money, even though I'm not a villain anymore…

He's demanding me TWO MILLION DOLLARS for all the expenses in my last villain scams, and also included my moon-stealing scam.

And it says here I need to give to him within seven days (in short, almost one week), **or else….**

One thing I know about Mr. Perkins is that he and Vector **WERE FAMILY!** A father-and-son thing…

 **How can you NOT be suspicious if Vector's surname is also Perkins?!**

And I bet he's doing this because of what I did to his son back at the moon-stealing heist…

But still I don't see what that involves in my bank problems? This is business, not personal…

I don't want my family to know about this yet. Besides, this is my problem during my villain days, and I don't want them to be involved…

The first person I told about this is my old friend, **Dr. Nefario**. And he too was shocked by this issue.

This is bad! Really bad… If I didn't pay him within this week, **I'm a goner!**

He can take away my lab…

My minions…

My technologies…

And also my family's future!

I felt my world is breaking apart when Dr. Nefario gave me a stupid idea…

He asked, **why can't I go back of being a villain?**

I blinked in surprise and said **That's a stupid idea!** I can't sacrifice my family, just to become a villain and pay that bank debts!

I also told him I can't trust him on that idea, considering that he had that same idea when he joined El Macho's side and almost helped him destroying my minions, **and Lucy too!**

But Dr. Nefario looked at me and said, "This isn't about them… **it's about you!"**

He explained to me that my jelly-jam business will not be enough to pay the bank within just seven days. Mr. Perkins is pretty serious about this and he wants the money **ASAP!**

And the only thing to get money **EASILY AND INSTANTLY** is to become a villain and make a really despicable crime, capable of creating huge amount of money in just seconds!

I can't believe I'm saying this, but he's got a point…

My jelly-jam factory is somewhat a huge flunk! And it's not enough to gather money in just one week…

Being a villain is a lot easier. Not only because it's freelance itself, but because it gains more money with less worries. **You can gain billions of dollars by just pulling off some bad trouble!**

But I can't become a villain again. Lucy and the girls would never allow me, not to mention I'm doing a freelance anti-crime job in the **Mr. Sheep's butt** organization.

But if I can't be a villain again, I'll lose everything…

This house…

My Laboratory…

The Minion's salaries…

 **And even my family's future as well…**

I felt torn… I mean, I missed being evil so badly and I would gladly go back being a villain once more. But I can't put my family at stake just because I need to gain money instantly and pay my debts.

 **If only I can do two things at the same time, without messing anyone out!**

I need some time to think, I need to decide, I need to be alone…

I sighed and told Dr. Nefario to leave me for awhile, I need to think this through…

As Nefario left the office, I stood up and took a deep breath…

 **What an unexpected disaster!** How could I forget about that money problem when I was still **Gru the greatest criminal mind of the world?**

I went to my bookshelf and pulled out a random book, maybe a good reading can relax me a little…

I slouched in my chair and take a look at the book I unmindfully picked out…

 _ **Robert Louise Stevenson's THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE**_

What a weird book to get inspired! How can this classic novel help me with my heavy bank problems?!

I groaned, All of the books I can picked out, **why this?!**

But I just opened the book, hoping a thrilling part of story can wake up my brain and find a solution to my problems.

I flipped through the pages and randomly select a part of the story. Then I stopped on the part where Dr. Henry Jekyll, a talented medical doctor, tells his story that he was a man full of vices and because of that, his reputation as a doctor can be at stake…

To avoid damaging his medical career and at the same time, still enjoy his bad vices, he made a potion to can help him separate his good part and the bad part of himself…

Now, Jekyll can have "fun" without feeling ashamed of himself. **He can be Dr. Jekyll the fine gentleman doctor, and at night, he became Mr. Edward Hyde, a free-spirited, pleasure-loving bum…**

Then, a thought is slowly growing around my mind…

 **I believe this book got a point…**

The human mind itself is divided into two parts: **The good and the bad!**

My good part of me is being caring and loving, responsible and supportive, innocent and **fatherly…**

My bad side of me is being impatient and selfish, spoiled and awfully rude, Cruel and **despicable…**

Then, I had the **craziest and beautiful** idea popped into my head!

Of course... **OF COURSE!** What was I thinking?!

Why am I taking this problem so seriously?

Where I can just gain money easily, pay my debts…

Go back to my villain job and spent time with my family…

 **AT THE SAME TIME?**


	2. Villain for Hire

**CHAPTER ONE: VILLAIN FOR HIRE**

It is a perfect morning here in this residential area in a certain town.

The sun is warm and air is cool. The sky is clear as clouds floats smoothly across its high bluish sky. The people of the subdivision also noticed this beautiful morning and couldn't wait to take a deep breath before going to their usual daily routine.

Parents go to their work while children gathered to the sidewalks and walk off to school. Newspaper delivery men speeded their way through the town with their bicycle and threw newspapers on their customer's doorstep. Even the street sweepers spread around the town and start their morning cleaning on the road for a bright dirt-free morning.

Among the white and red houses around the subdivision, you will notice a tall, gloomy black house sitting alone in their brown dead lawn, **or at least the once gloomy.**

Ever since Gru adopted Margo, Edith and Agnes as his family (And married Lucy as his wife…), **things changed!** The house was still black and dismal as usual, but at least it was filled with joy and laughter, especially when their playing tea party with Gru and his minions.

Also the once dead lawn is now reborn with its fine green grass and petunia bushes grew beautifully around their white fences which was once dark and old.

Indeed, everything changed ever since…

And that might also include **Mr. Perkin's bank demands.**

Ever since Gru received that report, he didn't come out of his office. **He's been there for three whole days,** with crashing and clapping noises inside especially during the night.

Dr. Nefario, **Gru's best friend and Physicist** , couldn't help but to worry about his friend. Especially when Lucy noticed this and couldn't help but to asked the doctor what's going on.

Gru made him promised not to tell anyone about the bank issue to avoid any misunderstandings.

"I don't know... All I know is that **the Jelly-jam factory is having trouble** and Gru needs time to think it over…" that was all Dr. Nefario can explain.

Three days later and still Gru is not coming out of the office. That morning, Margo, Edith and Agnes were having breakfast while Lucy and Dave the minion were cooking some pancakes.

Lucy Wilde, **Gru's newly-wed wife and partner in crime-fighting** , flipped out the last pancake and puts it on the plate with three pancakes. She poured maple syrup on top and a small block of butter. She puts the plate full of pancakes on the tray along with a big mug of freshly brewed coffee.

"Could you please take this to Gru?" Lucy asked Dave and handed him the tray.

Dave, **a small yellow bean-shaped, one-eyed minion,** stared at Lucy with tenderness. Gru doesn't know this or his fellow minions, **but Dave has a crush on Lucy!**

Ever since he saw her in that bakeshop, his eyes caught her immense beauty. Her carrot-tone hair, her fair lovely skin, her natural-green eyes and her rosy lip smile were all so beautiful that he wished he could stare at them forever.

The event where Gru married her made him **sighed broken-heartedly.** He tried not to get too emotional but he would gladly break down and cry a dozen gallon of tears if he's allowed.

But at least he was able to be her assistant every time she does housework. He can't have her love but at least he can have the attention to be with her just for a moment.

Lucy noticed him staring at her and said once more, " **Dave, please take this to Gru…"**

Dave snapped himself out of his daydream and grabbed the tray. He hurriedly ran off to the kitchen and passed by Dr. Nefario.

The elderly doctor entered the kitchen with a smile.

"Mornin', ladies!" he greeted them.

"Good morning, Nefario!" The girls greeted back.

"Have some pancakes…" Lucy said to him, handing out a plate full of pancakes to him.

"Oh, Thank you…" Dr. Nefario said and grabbed the plate.

"Hey, Dr. Nefario…" Margo began after finishing her hot chocolate. " **How's Mr. Gru?"**

Lucy and Dr. Nefario looked at Margo, then looked at each other in silence.

"Yeah, I haven't seen Mr. Gru for awhile…" Edith added.

"He sure is making a lot noises at his room, **I couldn't sleep…"** Agnes added and cuddled her unicorn doll.

"Well…" Dr. Nefario sighed, trying to think of a way to hide the truth about the bank problem. "Your father is having a lot of problems at the jelly factory…"

" **He always has problems in that factory…"** Edith answered back, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, it's weird 'cuz Mr. Gru **doesn't get too serious** in that jelly-jam factory…" Margo agreed.

"Can we help?" Agnes asked in concern.

Dr. Nefario looked at Lucy who is looking out behind, quietly focusing on cooking the pancakes. The doctor knew Lucy is worried too, but rather hides her emotion by looking away from the kids and stared down at her cooking.

"Look, girls…" Dr. Nefario said as calmly as he placed his breakfast on their wide round table

"I know you're worried about your father and so are we… but let's not freak out too much and just let him do this on his own way. That's the least we can do to help him, alright?" the doctor finished with a small smile.

The three girls looked at each other and nodded.

"Okay…" Margo sighed with a small smile.

Then, a yellow school bus stopped over in front of their house and blows his horns.

"C'mon girls, **Time for school!"** Lucy called out and grabbed their brown lunch bags.

The three girls packed up their school bags, took their lunches and kissed their stepmother goodbye.

" **Tell Gru we love him!"** Agnes shouted to her mother with a smile as they entered the school bus and rolled its tires through the road and off to school.

Lucy is still waving goodbye at her stepdaughters while Dr. Nefario stood at the middle of their front lawn and watched the bus drove away.

Then, he turned his head on the house and stared at the window where Gru's office is. And to his surprise, **Gru is standing at the same window** , also watching as the bus went away.

Even in his old age, Dr. Nefario can see clearly how stressful Gru's face is. His faces were all pale and sweaty, his dark circle around his eyes grew even darker and his eye bags increases.

He even noticed the way how Gru is breathing. It looks like he just ran a hundred-kilometer marathon or something, his deep blue eyes looks even tired and droopy. **Did he ever sleep in those three days?**

Then, Gru noticed Dr. Nefario staring at him from the outside. He pulled out his cellphone from his pant pocket and dialed.

Nefario felt his phone ringing in his lab coat pocket. He pulls it out and read the caller's name: **FELONIOUS GRU**

He clicked on the "Accept" button and placed his cellphone on his large ear. "Gru?" Dr. Nefario began.

" **Nefario…"** Gru greeted him with a heavy breath.

"Gru, what's going on?" Dr. Nefario whispered trying to avoid Lucy. He ran back inside the house and into the living room.

"What happened to you? You locked himself up in that room **for three days!** You know we got seven days to settle the debts! What's with the sudden disappearance?! You better tell me something **because your family is asking me so many questions about you…"** Dr. Nefario demanded, fuming in angry and concern.

" **Chillax** , Nefario…" Gru said, trying to calm him down.

Dr. Nefario tried to calm down and waited for an answered but all he can hear in the other line is Gru's tired breathing.

Finally, Gru regained his composure and said in his mid-Russian accent: **"I've finally found an answer to our problems…"**

"Really? You…do?" Nefario said, surprised.

"Yes, Nefario! And I believe **HE** can help us with our bank debts…"

" **He?"** Nefario said again, confused. _Did he involve someone else too?_

"Exactly! **I've hired a Villain to help us collect some money.** With his villainous skills, we can get money in no time and not even our family can suspect it…"

Dr. Nefario, rubbing his forehead in confusion, "But, Gru… How will we able to pay him with his services? We can't afford to spend more money anymore…"

"Don't worry, He will ask for that **AFTER** he did the job…"

"He would?"

"That's our arrangement in our contract… He will not have his reward unless he finishes what I have given to him."

"You… met this man before?"

A total silence stopped Gru for a moment.

" **I….I found him in the internet…"** Gru finally said, "I found him in the job-seeking section and got him as my hired Villain…"

"But, Gru…" Dr. Nefario began, "You know how internet can fool people with false usernames, what if this man is **NOT** a Villain-for-hire? Or if he was, how can you trust a person you haven't met before?"

" **BECAUSE HE'S OUR ONLY CHANCE!"** Gru roared at the other line.

Dr. Nefario heard a loud thud on something as Gru shouted.

The doctor became speechless. **He never heard Gru shouted so angrily before.**

"I mean…" Gru sighed calmly, noticing Nefario's silence.

"W-we don't have any more options… Time is running short! We've spent three days already and we only got four days to settle the debts…"

"I….I understand…" Dr. Nefario spoke blankly.

"Good…" Gru sighed, "I'm very tired now… So I trusted you to come to the meeting place…"

"The what?"

" **Me and my hired villain are meeting personally at the coffee shop by the town** , The meeting will start at ten o'clock this morning."

Dr. Nefario looked at his watch and saw it's already a quarter to eight.

"Since I'm little beat right now, I need you to go there and meet him for me instead…" Gru explained, his Russian-like accent almost didn't catch up in Nefario's ear.

"What? Like I'm a representative of you?" the doctor clarifies.

" **Excatly!** Go to that coffee shop and Look for the guy called **Felix Grudgeman…"**

"Felix who?" Nefario asked, confused.

" **Felix Grudgeman!"** Gru said aloud, "As in the word **GRUDGE** plus **MAN…"**

" **Grudge-man?"** Dr. Nefario arched his eyebrow in curiosity. _Sounds like a villain alright…_

But then, Gru coughed terribly, "I need to rest now. Will you go there and meet him for me?"

" **Of course!"** Nefario answered immediately.

"Just give me some few notes if you guys discuss anything…" Gru's voice is getting weak.

"Leave that to me…" Dr. Nefario said.

"Thank you, Nefario…" Gru sighed heavily, **"I'm glad I have someone I could trust…"**

"Don't worry, I got this covered… Rest well, my friend…"

And by that, Gru hung up.

Nefario puts the phone back on his pocket and sighed. He's still surprised about Gru's sudden outburst. He never heard him yelled so violently before.

 _ **He must be really stressed…**_ Dr. Nefario thought.

But something isn't right here. If Gru spent three days by just searching for a villain in the internet, then why would he bother make some crashing, clamming and clicking noises in his office?

As if those noises were like some kind of a science experiment **which involves chemistry set or something?**

Dr. Nefario suddenly felt uncomfortable. He had a terrible hunch that Gru is hiding something from him.

But they were together for years and they consider themselves as brothers rather than friends. Trust was formed and good memories were made. But this time, Dr. Nefario felt doubt over his friend.

Why would Gru make so much horrid noises if he was just using a laptop to search for a villain online?

Why would he hire someone to get instant money if he has a close friend like himself to help him out?

Doesn't he trust him anymore?

But then, a thought came into his mind:

" _ **I'm glad I have someone I could trust…"**_

Gru said that to him awhile ago. And he couldn't believe he forgotten about all that.

Gru trusted him very much. And he did explain why he needs to hire a villain. It's not because he didn't trust Nefario but because he needs some additional help from someone. **The more help, the better!**

Dr. Neferio shook his head and tries not to think too much about Gru's weird behavior and also the doubts he had on him.

But now, he has doubts on this new villain he hired.

 **Who is this Felix Grudgeman?**

Of all the villains he knew, he never heard of a villain with a name Grudgeman.

 _Gru must be very desperate to hire him all of a sudden…_ he thought, trying not to doubt him again.

Tired of the thinking so much, he went out of the living room and into to kitchen and gets some pancakes and coffee.

In Gru's office, curtains are half-opened, letting only a small ray of light inside of his dark room.

His office is almost pitching in darkness. **You could hardly see what things were scattered, spoiled, equipped, crashed and crumpled in the room**. Not to mention the white-papered wall covering the entire wall itself.

In his worktable, Gru slouched on his large chair. He never felt so tired and exhausted in all of his life. **He could barely feel his limbs either!**

Then, his tired eyes moved onto the pancakes and coffee on his table which were given to him by Dave a few minutes ago. Adrenalized by hunger, Gru hurdled out of his chair, snatched the plate and eat his pancakes greedily.

Some pancake crumbs spitted out of his mouth as he chomped, bites and gulps on it **like a mad wolf eating barbarically over his food.**

In a matter of seconds, Gru finished all of the four pancakes. Then, he grabbed the mug of coffee and drinks it straight, some coffee streams out of his lips.

Gru finally breathe as he puts down his empty coffee mug and finished his pancakes. He breaths deeply and intensely, that surely regained his energy.

Yes, he needs all the energy he can get just to finish what he had started.

Gru couldn't help to blame himself for misusing his bank money and ended up having terrible debts.

 **Why didn't he think of this before?**

As Gru finally caught his breath, he motioned at his side and looked at his full-length mirror standing beside his worktable.

He wiped off the crumbs and coffee stains on his mouth with his sleeves and walked slowly to the mirror.

"I will make this right again…" he muttered at his reflection.

He looked at his face and saw how deathly pale and exhausted he is, that's what he gets for sealing himself in this office with hardly any sleep and less food for three days…

"With the help of Felix, I can get my debts paid, enjoy my villainous career and still have time with my family…" Gru whispered as he touches the cold glass of the mirror.

"Yes…." He said with a smile. "Things will change… **Completely…."**

 **END OF CHAPTER ONE**

 **NEXT CHAPTER:** a villain as black as the crow, green as a goblin, kind as a Sparrow but highly despicable! Dr. Nefario still couldn't understand who is this villain, but one thing is odd about him, **he looks exactly like GRU!** Who is this Felix Grudgeman? And why Dave the minion disappeared all of a sudden? Get ready to meet him in **Chapter Two: The guy named Felix**


	3. The Guy named Felix

**CHAPTER TWO: THE GUY NAMED FELIX**

Under his tall black house hides a huge basement, **ten times bigger than a mere baseball field!**

The Basement is utterly huge that it has to divide into several floors. Bridges, escalators and even elevators were built inside too.

Inside this peculiar basement, Secret areas with illegal science experimentations are installed all over the base.

Rare technologies were displayed everywhere. Proton Cannons, Shrink ray, nuclear arsenals, Plutonium extractor, Space ships, giant aircrafts base… Everything that had something to do with war and world domination, **Gru has it all!**

This is Gru's secret laboratory where he kept all his weapons, gadgets and rare technologies that would help him conquer the world.

Inside his massive underground base, his workers were more likely odd-looking. Genetically single cell organisms developed over the centuries and became small yellow-tone, big eyed, bean-shaped, weird-looking creatures with tiny three-fingered arms and feet.

They were called by many names as such **Bob, Kevin, Stuart, Dave, Phil, Tim, Mark and so on…**

They even have their own language but it's so plain gibberish that you can't even understand if it's Italian, French, Chinese, Korean or what! But we can consider it as **Minionese.** For they, themselves, invented this language and using it as their everyday verbal communication.

They are very hard-working and also plain childish which Gru sincerely hates, but despite their playful weaknesses, Gru trusted these yellow, dwarf-like minions, and same goes to them, who will utterly devote their support and services to their villainous master.

But just like mentioned earlier, **things changed** ever since Gru had three daughters and a wife.

Their world-dominating technologies were now replaced by a giant glass barrel of extracted fruit juices.

Their top-secret bases that used to make illegal science experiment is gone and is now being used as a huge hall of conveyers delivering all kinds of fruits into a machine that chops them into pieces and gets mixed with water, sugar and cornstarch.

In short, **Gru's secret lab is now turned into a Jelly-jam factory.**

But even though their process of making Jams and jelly are highly advanced, their business seemed to be running low. **Their jams tasted awful!** As if it was mixed with vinegar, fish scales and rotten fruits all together.

This is the all-time problem for Gru and Dr. Nefario as well.

They never had any basic knowledge on making jams and jellies. And soon they will become bankrupt and lose everything, even the minions will lose their salaries and has to find another job.

Things are complicated when money problems get started…

Their Bank will sue you for not paying your debts…

Their business will fall due to lack of jelly-jam creativity…

 **Their lives are as bitter as their jellies…**

Inside their Jelly-jam base, Dr. Nefario sits quietly on his chair in his workstation. Flat screen monitors and multiple computer sets crowded over his desk, with miniature chemistry set on his side table too.

Even the doctor knows how bad their business is going and he couldn't help himself but to think.

" _Unlike those days, we were able to supply enough money to sustain ourselves…"_ he thought as he recalls those glorious days as they commit crimes as villains.

But the most disturbing part that he couldn't stop thinking about is that Gru hiring a villain.

They already having **TWO** problems with money now, why on earth would Gru hired someone if they don't have enough money to reward him?

Dr. Nefario just couldn't understand. He knows Gru is having so many problems right now, but that strange behavior of his is a real mystery.

Three days inside that office, with less food and sleep, he bet…

Clicking, crashing and clamping noises inside as if he's playing with fragile objects…

 **And all he can explain was he's just searching a villain online?**

" _It doesn't make any sense…"_ Nefario thought.

As he sinks himself in thought, a tall, two-eyed minion named **Kevin,** entered the area with a clipboard in his hands. Other minions followed him and began asking him questions in Minionese.

" **Bob,** Doku wa Dave?" Kevin turn his head at his side and asked Bob if he saw Dave.

"No…" Bob, the other minion, replied.

"Stuart, **Dave where he?"** Kevin asked Stuart the same question.

 **Stuart,** who is standing at his side along with his ukulele, shook his head in reply.

Then, Kevin looked up and saw two more minions sitting as the edge of the bridge, eating their sandwiches.

"Oy! **Phil, Mark…"** Kevin called them. Phil and Mark looked down and saw Kevin.

"Dave? domo este po? **Dave?"** Kevin asked aloud.

"Eh, no Dave!" Phil answered.

"Nope, nope…" Mark replied with a mouthful of sandwich crumbs.

Kevin groans. It's been his morning routine of checking if all the minions are present at this hour. He always carries his attendance checklist to see if everyone's here. **Everyone is here, except Dave.**

Dr. Nefario looked back at them and rubbed his chin, thinking.

The last time he saw Dave was when they passed each other at the kitchen door. He noticed he carries a tray of pancakes and coffee and went upstairs.

Nefario guessed that Dave might've gone to Gru's office and bring him some breakfast, **considering that Gru is the only family member who wasn't downstairs to take some.**

Then, Nefario felt strange again. Gru is acting pretty odd this time around, and he hopes Dave didn't do anything that would upset him in that time.

But if he did, **what did Gru do to him?**

Suspicion is starting to run into his mind until his digital watch beeped.

He pulled down his sleeves and looked at it. **9:30 am**

Dr. Nefario remembered that he setup this alarm 30 minutes early for his **10:00** meeting with this hired villain at the coffee shop near town.

This hired villain, **Felix Grudgeman,** is also another mystery.

Nefario doesn't trust strangers, especially if that person is a super-villain himself. What if this person is more dangerous than Gru's former nemesis?

Is he a perfect guy to be trusted?

Or is he a deadly foe? A guy who waits for a good opportunity to strike and used them for his selfish schemes…

Dr. Nefario sighed deeply. "I must be overreacting..." he mumbled as he rubs his forehead. If he wants to see if this Felix can be trusted then there is no other option **but to see this man face-to-face.**

Nefario stood out from his seat and walked away. He went to the nearest elevator and to the nearest exit, wondering what would this Felix looks like and how he would help them with their financial crisis.

* * *

In the nearby town, not far from residential area, people flocked the streets and cars flooded across the road, going to their destinations. It can be their offices, business stands and meeting places.

Among those people who are walking across the sidewalk is a tall barrel-chested man **dressed almost in green.** He wears a dark green coat with pointy shoulders, a green vest and a white ascot wrapped around his white-collared neck, pinned with a rounded green brooch with a gothic-stylized **F** written on it.

He also wears black fingerless gloves in his hands, a pair of black pants and shiny black leather shoes.

 **Not to mention his facial appearance is very attracting:** His face is as white as snow, his black hair is neatly combed back but has a long messy bedraggled curls at its ends. He wears a pair of rectangular-shaped, golden-framed glasses placed on his long pointy nose.

People nearby couldn't resist but to stare. **He looks exactly like that black-coated, bald headed guy!**

Only this person has hair and dressed finely like a British gentleman, unlike Gru's dark clothing and rude Russian attitude.

The green-suited man walked his way with his black walking stick and entered a coffee shop.

The coffee shop that he entered is the same shop **when Gru used to freeze customers in line just to be first one to get his coffee.** Gru couldn't stand long lines…

 **And so does him!** As he entered the shop, his gleaming green eyes stared blankly in surprise at the long line of customers, about eight of them standing there.

The man looked at his Rolex watch and checked the time: **9:40 am**

For him, it's very improper to arrange a private meeting with a crowded place like this, especially if a criminal scheme is the main agenda. He needs to get these people out of here fast!

The green-suited man sighed deeply and gained his composure. He raised his wrist and started to adjust the rim of his Rolex.

Then, the glass rim of the watch flipped open and small images flashing in it like a target marker! He smiled and focused the target marker at the eight customers on line.

" **TARGET LOCKED"** a flashing words appeared on its glass screen.

In a matter of seconds, He clicked on its small button and eight tiny needles shoots out from the watch. **The needle punched through the customer's necks. The people felt very woozy and they all fell unconsciously on the floor.**

The green-suited villain sighed delightedly. He just loved using his portable **STUN DARTS** to put annoying people to sleep. And it's handy too!

He deactivates his Stun Darts on his watch. He walked passed his unconscious victims and towards the counter where a dark-skinned female cashier stood behind it, terribly frightened by the scene.

" **Forgive me for my brute gesture back there…"** the green-suited villain said in his thick British accent. "I am a bit in a rush right now and I would like to arrange a private meeting at exactly 10:00 this morning…"

The woman cashier looked at him, stunned. "I…I…." she stammered, still shocked at the scene.

The man looked at her with his piercing green eyes. Then, he slipped his fingers under his green coat and pulled out a thick stack of cash, and placed it inside of the jar nearby with a label that says: **TIP**

"I would like to reserve a private meeting in this coffee shop, if I may…" the man repeated, and smiled innocently at her.

The woman gulped and looked at that huge stack of money, stuffed inside the glass jar. He may be brutally rude to the other customers and she can report him anytime. But if she declines his request, **she might be the next one to get stunned!**

By desperation, the woman has no choice but to obey this villainous customer. After all, she does needs that stack of cash to pay her apartment fees…

"Of course…" the woman agrees, her voice shaken. She took out her small notepad and pen from her apron pocket, ready to jot down the customer's name and his reservation.

"M-may I have your name, sir?" the woman cashier asked, trying not to sound nervous.

" **Felix"** the green-suited villain answered. **"Felix Grudgeman"**

* * *

Dr. Nefario is in a taxi and took him to the town. It will take him only 30 minutes to get there depending on the traffic condition.

But at last, the traffic was fine and was able to reach their meeting place, the coffee shop the Gru usually visits.

Dr. Nefario looked at his watch and checks the time: **9:59 am**

The doctor looked up at his window and observed the coffee shop. He wasn't surprise that Gru chose this as their meeting area. The staff here knows him by his villainous behavior and they rather respect him than to get freeze by his Freeze Ray.

The old doctor got out of the Taxi and paid the driver. As the taxi drove away, Dr. Nefario stared strangely at the window of the coffee shop itself. **The place looked deserted,** which is strange because this coffee shop is always crowded due to its fine coffees and good services.

As he entered the shop, he noticed there's no line in the counter. Usually this coffee shop has long waits from which Gru would gladly starts using his freeze gun weapon.

" **Are you Dr. Nefario?"** the dark-skinned woman cashier came to him.

Dr. Nefario looked at her, she seemed shaking and sweating. As if she's scared of something…

"Yes, I am…" Dr. Nefario replied, surprise how this woman knows him.

" **Mr. Grudgeman is expecting you…"** she said, trying to sound normal.

" _Grudgeman…"_ Nefario thought, stunned. _"He knows that I'm coming instead of Gru?_

Then, the woman led Dr. Nefario to a long square table at the corner of the shop, right beside the window.

On that table, a black-haired gentleman dressed in green sits relaxingly on his chair. His legs crossed over as he sits and his eyes were busily reading a small pocket book about _**The Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow.**_

While in his other hand holds a cup of freshly brewed coffee, he brings it to his lips and sips on it.

Dr. Nefario suddenly froze in shock. This person **looks exactly like Gru!**

Slightly hunchbacked, barrel-chested, pencil-thin limbs, beak-like nose, **he's like Gru's twin brother or something…**

"Mr. Grudgeman, He's here…" the woman said to him, slightly shaking in fear.

Felix lowers down his book and saw Dr. Nefario.

"Ah, you must be Dr. Nefario…" he greeted him in his British tone. He puts away his book, stood up from his chair.

Felix went to Dr. Nefario and shook his hand.

Even Dr. Nefario has black rubber gloves in his hand, he noticed how deathly cold Felix's hand is. Despite it has fingerless gloves, he can feel the coldness of his white fingers.

" **I am Felix Grudgeman.** Gentleman Villain and Villain-for-Hire…" Felix said as he pulled out a card out of his coat pocket and showed it to Nefario.

The doctor took the card and read its labels:

 **FELIX AMADEUS GRUDGEMAN**

 **Independent Villain and Crime-for-Hire**

"Young lady…" Felix calls for his woman cashier. "Kindly bring some black tea and your finest apple tarts for this old gentleman, if you please…"

The woman didn't say a word and hurriedly walked towards the door and get some tea and pastries.

Dr. Nefario looked up at him in surprise, **how did Felix know that Black tea and apple tarts are his** **favorite menu in this shop?**

"Please sit down…" Felix said to him as he went to his seat at the other side.

Dr. Nefario carefully sat on his chair. Surprise and confuse about this villain who knows some few things about him.

"Gru told me in the phone that he cannot come due to some personal reason…" Felix started. "He also mentioned that I should serve you your most favorite meals in this shop. **Quite a wise choice, if you asked me…"**

Dr. Nefario sighed in relief. Well, that explains why Felix knows he's coming, and also his most preferred food.

"Why, thank you…" Dr. Nefario said, still cautious.

Felix sighed then chuckled, **"You seemed surprise to see me…** I'm sorry if I didn't introduce myself to you in the first place. But don't worry, even this Gru didn't met me in person either…"

Before Dr. Nefario can respond, a voice of groaning sounded under their table, Nefario looked down and shocked to see a man crawling out from under their table. The man just woke up from Felix's stunning needles and slowly regaining his consciousness.

But Felix saw him too and with the use of his watch, **he shot another sleeping needle onto the man's neck.**

Nefario gasped in shock as he watches his victim fell lifelessly on the floor again.

"I'm terribly sorry…" Felix apologized to his guest. "The effects of my sleeping needles must've worn off, and I wished not to be disturbed during our discussion…"

Felix reached out his long leg and swept the sleeping man back under their table.

"Not to be rude or anything…" Dr. Nefario spoke, eyes still widened by the scene. "But isn't that a little…. **Hard core?"**

Felix looked at him with his emerald eyes, "We're villains, Doctor… If people cannot respect us as humans then perhaps they will respect us as **scoundrels and rogues of this world…"**

Dr. Nefario gulped. No wonder Gru chose this man to be his villain! He's cruel, merciless and violent just like a villain should be. **Or perhaps much more than that…**

Then, the woman cashier came out of the door with a tray full of apple tarts, a teapot of black tea and a cup. She went to their table and placed everything there.

Dr. Nefario could see the woman is shivering and sweating severely. **Nefario can see why**. Having a dangerous villain as a customer can be really frightening, especially that he has this needle-shooting dart gun that can knock you down anytime.

All the meal is now set. The apple tarts are beautifully served in a fine white porcelain plate and also the teapot and cup is made of fine English porcelain with golden linings around it.

The woman was about to leave their table when suddenly,

" **My lady…"** a matured British voice said.

The woman gasped and stood shock. She struggle to looked back and saw Felix's gleaming green eyes staring at her.

The woman stood there frozen in fright. His green eyes are almost glowing in the shadows behind the morning sun and his smirk looked as if he's planning something despicable.

"Uh…Y-yes, sir…" the woman cashier replied, her voice shook while her hands trembling.

Felix looked at her sharply, and then he smirked: **"May I request for another cup of coffee?"**

"Yes, Of course…" The woman muttered, relieved to hear it's just a request and not a threat.

The woman carefully grabbed his cup, placed it on her tray and walked into their kitchen.

" **Heh… I just loved scaring her to her wits…"** Felix chuckled. He knows that woman fears him now and he couldn't help but to tease her with his threatening stare.

Dr. Nefario just stared at him. He sure is quite of a bully perhaps to anyone, **just like Gru…**

"Alright, then…" Felix glanced back at him. "Now that everything is set, I believe we can start now with our main agenda: I heard Mr. Gru is in great debt right now and this Perkins wants the money within at least seven days…"

"Actually, we only have **FOUR…"** Dr. Nefario interrupted. "We didn't do anything within three days and I bet we only have four days to settle the debts…"

"Three days without doing anything?" Felix looked up, surprised. "Hmmm…"

Felix looked down blankly onto his fingerless-gloved hands as he clamps it together. "Mr. Gru must be very surprise when he got that message, **not to mention confuse…"**

Dr. Nefario looked stared at him as Felix rubbed his hands as if he's keeping them warm.

"Is anything okay, Mr. Grudgeman?" Dr. Nefario asked, noticing him becoming quiet all of a sudden.

Felix jolted his head up and looked at Nefario. "Oh, yes I'm fine…" Felix smiled. "Forgive me, I got lost in thought back there…"

"No need to apologize, sir…" Dr. Nefario said as he grabs the handle of the teapot and poured some into his cup.

"Anyway, Let's get this over with…" Felix pushes the nose bridge of his glasses. "I was hired by Mr. Gru to be his villain and make a grand criminal scheme yet… and Let me get this straight: **Gru hired my services to make a grand scheme, and the money we gain from it would be the payment for your bank debts, Am I correct?"**

Dr. Nefario took a sip from his small cup of black tea, then sighed, "Well, actually he didn't tell me that was his intentions…" he looked at him, a bit surprise.

" **So he kept it from you…"** Felix added, arching his eyebrow.

Dr. Nefario went stunned. Why Gru would keep that information from him? And instead, he shared this plan with this person who has no personal history with…

He and Gru spent together for years. And suddenly, Gru would share this kind of secret with this total stranger?!

"I guessed so…" Dr. Nefario sighed, **feeling a little betrayed.**

"I see…" Felix said, "I believe there is a valuable reason why Gru would keep it from you…"

" _ **Yes, I hope he has…"**_ Dr. Nefario thought, saddened.

Just then, the woman appeared beside Felix with his newly brewed coffee on her tray. She took the coffee cup, a small bowl of tiny sugar blocks and a small jar of creamer and placed it all in front of Felix.

"Thank you, you may leave us…" Felix thanked her. The woman sighed, finally she can't escape the clutches of this crazy villain guy.

But Felix grabbed her arm and the woman gasped in shock. "I meant you leave our table, **not the shop itself…"** Felix added as he grips her wrist tightly, his eyes stare sharply at hers.

The poor lady shivered even more but nodded, "Yes, yes, of course Mr. Grudgeman…" she said, almost stammering in fright.

"Good…" Felix smiled again and let her go. The frighten woman walked away and hid inside their kitchen.

Felix sighed and glanced back at Nefario who looked at him back, a little stunned. "Anyhow…" he started. "I agree on helping you to pull off a grand scheme and get some money for the bank…"

"Wait, make a grand scheme? **US?!"** Dr. Nefario almost choked down his tea in surprise.

"Isn't that what I'm here for?" Felix asked him back, confuse.

"Well, Yes… but it just that…" Nefario started reluctantly, "We've quit doing villain stuff for almost two or three years now and we tried to turn in a new leaf and…"

" **And still, you get caught by this Perkins about your bank fees…"** Felix added.

"Well, about that…" Dr. Nefario tries to explain.

"I understand that you wanted to change and find some other "innocent" way to earn a living…" Felix began as he puts three tiny blocks of sugar in his coffee.

"I cannot blame you guys for quitting up being criminals and all, especially that Gru mentioned to me that he had a family now…" Felix then puts two small scoops of creamer into his coffee and stirred.

Dr. Nefario became speechless, **How much more does this Felix know about Gru?**

"But seems like fate didn't left you, the bank debts from which it should be suspended due to Gru's retirement is still demanding you… and you had no choice but to do so…" Felix tapped his teaspoon on the rim of his cup, placed it away and drinks his coffee.

"And that's the problem…" Dr. Nefario spoke, "We have this business, you see… and it's not going well, which means we don't have enough money to pay the debts…"

" **Which is the reason why I am here…"** Felix said as he laid down his cup on their white-clothed table.

Dr. Nefario was stunned. "Look, Mr. Felix…" he said, his voice sounded grave. "Gru and I may be at stake right now but that doesn't mean we're getting money in a **RATHER CRIMINAL WAY**."

But secretly, the old doctor would gladly to go back being evil **but involving this stranger into their business is not in his book.**

"But this isn't about you, Nefario… **It's about Gru!"** Felix muttered to him, still staring up expressionlessly.

Dr. Nefario blinked, suddenly realizing. Felix sighed deeply and stared down his coffee cup. "I know you don't trust me in terms of assistance. But please Reconsider… Think about all your friend's sacrifices just to sustain your living…"

Nefario looked down on his half-filled teacup and reflect.

Felix went on: "Not only supporting your living, but also supports his family's living and his worker's living as well. Think about it…"

Dr. Nefario stayed quiet for awhile and sinks himself in thought. All he wants is to end this money problem once and for all.

But getting help with a total stranger like Felix seemed to be a little unfair for him.

He hates to admit but he's somewhat **jealous of Felix,** Gru became very secretive to him ever since he got that mail, and Felix is seemed to be the only person who knows about his secrets.

Not to mention that Gru yelled at Dr. Nefario over the phone saying: **BECAUSE HE'S OUR ONLY CHANCE!**

It's obvious that he's referring to Felix, which made Nefario twitched, _Am I not he's only chance too?_ Dr. Nefario thought, comparing himself with this green-suited villain.

" **Mr. Gru had done so many things for you,** **and I hope you would support him too**. Besides, it's not only him who will lose everything…" Felix finished.

That sentence insulted Nefario. "Who are you, really?" the doctor glared at Felix.

"I'm sorry?" Felix looked at him, puzzled.

"Why are talking like that? **You're talking as if you knew Gru for a long time…"** the jealous doctor stood out of his chair and frowned at Felix.

Felix, in the other chair, watched him stood out and tries to stay cool. "Now, Calm down, Dr. Nefario…"

But the doctor stood firm and said: "Gru doesn't know you and I don't know you either! Why should we trust someone like you?!

Noticing Nefario's arrogance, Felix slowly stood out from his seat, straightens his back and stood tall at Nefario.

" **Because I'm your only chance…"** Felix muttered, his eyes shot back a cold stare.

Dr. Nefario froze. The same words as Gru yelled him about…

Completely pissed off, Felix groans and moved closer to Nefario.

"Look here, old man…" he hissed in his harsh British tone, glaring at Nefario with his burning green eyes. "Gru hired me! **He didn't make friends with me or trusted me as such…** I'm doing this because it's my job, not because we're rubbish little pals! So I don't need you trust or your bloody friendship, **but just consider me as your alternative** , got it?"

The old doctor stared at him in fright as Felix's face is only an inch away from his. No wonder his name has something with **"Grudge".** Bitterness and resentment is written all over his angered death-white face. His green eyes flashes horrifically like a ghoul. His aura seemed very grave, deadly and **somewhat evil at its purest form.**

Dr. Nefario clears his throat. "Of course, Mr. Felix sir…" he responds, his voice slightly trembling.

"Well, glad to hear that…" Felix sighed, relieved. He moved his face away from Nefario and regained his composure. He tightens his ascot around his neck and readjusts his green rounded brooch on it.

"Now then…" Felix began. "Shall we go back to our agenda?"

Dr. Nefario still stood there, stunned.

What kind of villain is this Felix? For one thing he noticed, **he doesn't seemed human…**

Nefario shivered by the thought. He has a bad feeling about this Grudgeman. First, he didn't meet Gru in person **but he knows too much information about him.**

Second, he acts too freely that he just shoots down people with his Stun gun without even thinking twice, **does this man had any consciences?**

And thirdly, that ghost-like stare. Nefario doesn't believe much about personal instincts but this time, his guts telling him that this Felix is not an ordinary villain. **He's a much of a dangerous type!**

"Dr. Nefario?" Felix called him and gave him a small smile.

The old doctor snapped himself out of his trance and looked up at Felix. "Yes, of course…" he replied, "I'm sorry for being too harsh, it's just that I've never met a villain like you before…"

"It's alright…" Felix said as he returns to his seat. "We all make mistakes…"

Dr. Nefario slowly sits back on his chair, still cautious about this guest he had.

"We both don't trust each other…" Felix said as he grabs Nefario's tea cup at his side. "But let's do this for Gru. After all, we both want to accomplish the same thing…"

"… **To end your bank problems and get my job done!"** Felix added. He poured some black tea from the tea pot and refilled his cup.

"Do we have a deal?" Felix smirked as he offers Dr. Nefario's tea cup with a newly poured tea.

Dr. Nefario hates to admit but he's right…

Nefario wants to end this bank problem that way everything will go back to normal. They will live peacefully with their Jelly-jam business and Gru will stop being such a mystery worry-wart.

And same goes to Felix, as soon as this bank problem ends, Felix will get his reward and leave them alone for good. No one will rob away Gru's trust on Nefario anymore.

Dr. Nefario sighed heavily and said: **"I'm doing this for Gru…"** then, he took the tea cup from Felix's hand.

"I know you would…" Felix smiled widely. But Nefario just stared at him with full awareness. _I don't like that smile…_ he thought as he sips some tea from the cup, his big goggle-eyes stares at Felix sitting relaxingly in cross-legged.

"Alright, then…Let's go back…" Felix started. "Like I said earlier, I am willing to help Gru with his debts. And to do so, we have to make a grand scheme to get fast money…"

" **Are you considering robbing a bank?"** Dr. Nefario asked, putting down his cup and grabbed a apple tart from the plate.

"Apart from that…" Felix said, "We need to pull off a more massive crime yet…. Something so grand that the people will be force to give us money just to get it back… Something that would leave a mark in history as **the greatest crime of the century…"**

Dr. Nefario smirked, "The grandest crime in the world so far is Gru's moon-stealing scam! **No villain can top that…"**

"I don't care about Gru's bloody space stealing gig…" Felix said, slightly annoyed by Nefario's insult.

"But rather, I was talking about something… **traumatizing.** " Felix smiled disturbed Nefario.

"What are you saying?" Nefario asked, curiously.

Felix pulled out his small pocket book from inside his coat about _**The Headless horseman of Sleepy Hollow**_ and opened it. Inside those pages, a folded paper is struck between it like a bookmark. Felix unfolded the paper and spread it wide on the table before Nefario.

The old doctor looked closely at it. It's the map of **New York City** , the largest city in America. He also saw two red circles drawn in two different locations on the map. One is on the **part of Manhattan** and the other is on the image of **the Statue of Liberty.**

 **END OF CHAPTER TWO**

 **Next Chapter:** Even though Dr. Nefario and the minions don't know this villain much, they still need to do some crimes with him. Witness the chaos and mayhem as Felix attacks the heart of Manhattan and terrorized the Statue of Liberty. Time to get despicable in **Chapter three: The Liberty Scam**


	4. The Liberty Scam

**CHAPATER THREE: THE LIBERTY SCAM**

 **The Statue of Liberty** , a gigantic neo-classical statue on the Liberty Island in New York Harbor of the city of New York. It is an iconic sight of freedom and a welcoming view for foreigners and inhabitants alike, especially for those who were coming from aboard.

Beside the island of Liberty, another small island is located called **the Ellis Island.** History has once told that Ellis Island used to be a federal immigration port. Millions of immigrants from all over the world used to pass through here during in late 1890.

Most of these immigrants were from northern and western Europe, people who tried to escape from war, poverty, famine, drought and most especially political and economic oppressions in their country alone.

Today, Ellis Island has become a place where families and local citizens celebrate and honor their family ancestors who came here to this very island before seeking new life in America.

One of its famous monuments in this island is **the Ellis Island Immigration Museum**.

Located at the Main Building of the former immigration station, this museum tells the story of their ancestors who were given a chance to create a new life by entering the very doors of this immigration center itself during that time.

From the old carts that carries their luggage, those old-gray pictures of 19th century immigrants and those old yet priceless records of its European refugees, indeed everything in here has their own stories of hopes, dreams and survival.

Inside the second floor of the Immigration museum is **The Registry Room**. This is where immigrants used to process their physical and mental exams before going to the America during those times. Now, it's commonly known as **The Great Hall,** a famous tourist destination. The Great Hall is a large room with huge bright windows on the sides of the tall tiled arches on the ceiling and also a long, wide balcony on both side of the hall, not to mention the 48-star US flag is still hanging on both sides as well.

But this time, a celebration is being occurred inside this very hall. A large crowd of tourist gathered around at the middle of the hall, newspaper photographers and media reporters flocked at the two men standing at the middle of the crowd, one of them is the museum manager and the other is **Felix Grudgeman.**

The people had no idea that he's a villain, **but they were about to.** Beside Felix is a tall portrait-size square figure that is all covered up in white cloth.

"Good day, our humble visitors…" the museum manager began as he stares proudly at his crowd. "Today, we celebrate **the** **Anniversary of the dedication of the Statue of Liberty!"**

The crowd started to applause as cameras flashed on the museum manager.

"It's been almost 120 years since France had given us the most priceless gift of all, The Statue of Liberty!" as he said this, the curtains of the other side of the window was pulled up, revealing at the distant of the majestic view of the colossal Liberty statue.

Even Felix couldn't resist sighing on the beauty of this immense statue. _**"Too bad this will be her last anniversary…"**_ Felix thought slyly.

"This beautiful giant structure is the symbol of friendship between France and the United States. She has welcomed many of the immigrants, **our ancestors** , to a new life that awaited them in this land. She is the symbol of our great country and freedom for people and immigrants everywhere…" the manager said dramatically.

"Now this month, we celebrate her greatest legacies: **Hopes, Dreams and Liberty** for both Americans and Foreigners alike!" the manager finished as crowd cheered for their beloved landmark.

"And also I would love to introduce our special guest for today, he, just like our ancestors, is an immigrant from Great Britain who seek his future here as an artist of fine and visual arts. My dear Americans, I present to you, **Felix Amadeus Grudgeman."** Then, the manager motioned to the green-suited gentlemen in glasses. His black shoulder-length hair curled messily on his coat shoulder.

The British villain shook hands with the museum manager and took the center stage. "Thank you…" Felix greeted the crowd with a smile. "Today, we celebrate the birth of our beloved icon of independence. And I thank you all for welcoming foreigners like myself to be part of this wonderful morning…"

Everyone clapped and stared stunningly over this mysterious but attractive English man.

"Furthermore," Felix continued. His emerald eyes stared at the eyes of the crowd. "I also wanted to thank that majestic lady over there as your welcoming doorstep to our new future for us immigrants. Before entering this port, she was the first one to be sense by many refugees. People who were brave enough to travel to this unknown world…"

Felix motioned to the window and pointed that the Statue of Liberty, standing tall and proud with her fierce torch and unchained ankles. "At the looks of her symbolic majesty, **there's no doubt why France would give such a marvelous structure…** The Americans had made so much humble assistances by helping other nations without anything in return… This is one of most beautiful traits that you should be proud: **the gift of Generosity."**

Most of the crowd looked at him with smiles on their faces. Tears of joy shed on the eyes of most of the crowd. "Such a beautiful speech…" a middle-aged man sobbed and leaned over his wife.

"My dear friends, I ,myself, am an immigrant but I do not witness the hardships of your ancestors, but I do witnessed this, that going to a new country is rather scary… **but very rewarding!"**

The Hall fell silent and stared astonishingly on Felix. His strong personality and his impressive charisma…

"And here I am, standing in front of you all, the descendants of those brave immigrants who took a great leap to seek new lives in this dangerous world… And they have succeeded! I am sincerely honored to be here with you all… **Your ancestors will be very proud of you…"**

As Felix finished his meaningful speech, the entire Hall rumbled in great cheers and applause. "This British man is truly outstanding!" The old woman said to her grandson.

" **WE LOVE YOU, FELIX!"** a familiar woman named **Jillian** screamed for his name while her cousin **Shannon** told her to calm down.

"Thank you, **Green-eyed weirdo!** " a young old-fashioned teenager boy exclaimed among the crowd with tears of joy flows in his eyes.

Hearing this, the pissed-off Felix was about to assemble his Stun Dart when the museum manager grabbed his hand and shook it in gratitude.

"Thank you, thank you, Mr. Grudgeman… You made us really proud today!" The manager said happily as he continues to shake hands with him.

"You're quite welcome, **now let go!"** Felix muttered as he quickly budges away his hand from his tight grip.

"Oh, Sorry about that…"the manager apologies awkwardly, "I got so caught by your speech lately…"

Felix rolled his eyes, slightly annoyed. _**Do you really have to get so insanely emotional?**_ He thought.

"Anyway…" the manager cleared his throat and motioned to his covered portrait. "May we see what is behind this cover?"

"Of course…" Felix said and went to his tall cloth-covered, portrait-size figure.

Felix has a good talent in Arts. He loves to paint pictures, draw life-size portraits and also create sculptures. He adores Greek statues, Renaissance paintings, medieval drawings, soap operas and gothic-style art themes.

Quite so, **Felix is a talented artist.** And he is willing to share his talents on every occasion, even this Liberty Anniversary itself.

"This painting is based on Ellis island's greatest yet unknown history…" Felix said.

The museum manager smiled in curiosity. What does this unknown history be?

Felix grabbed the cloth on his mysterious portrait figure and unveiled it.

But instead of claps and cheers, **the crowd and also the museum manager gasped in horror!**

Felix stepped back to show his work at his bewildered audience. "My friends…" he smiled proudly. "I give you my gift for this celebration. I called it: **THE BEHEADING!"**

* * *

At the other island where the Statue of Liberty stands, Gru's minions, Kevin, Bob and Stuart, came into the Statue of Liberty and disguised themselves as a female normal tourist.

The minions remembered their **first impression on their new master Felix just yesterday.**

It was during their **Cupcake Break** when Dr. Nefario entered the lab and introduced them to Felix Grudgeman, their newest master for the week, at least.

At first, they thought it was Gru in disguised and just laughed at him. But he proved them wrong when **Norbert** , an idiotic minion, **threw a cupcake on Felix's face just for a good prank!**

Angered, Felix whisked away the strawberry cupcake from his face and marched towards Norbert. He grabbed the poor minion by the neck and **stuffed him inside the cannon like a cannon ball.**

Alarmed, Dr. Nefario was about to stop him but Felix had already pulled the rope and blasted Norbert across the laboratory. The next thing they saw is when Norbert crashed through a giant glass globe with raspberry jelly stored inside.

A crack grew on the surface and spread across the glass ball and in seconds, the Raspberry jelly glass storage shattered into pieces! Sending huge waves of Raspberry jelly and flooded the entire station. Norbert was washed away like a lifeless body, he tried to get up but his head was all woozy by the impact that he fell unconscious.

The minions gasped in shock. **Gru would NEVER treat his minions like that!**

Even Dr. Nefario looked at him, stunned. **What an awful way to treat Norbert like that…**

But Felix glanced on his frightened minions, cupcake icing drips across his face like sweat.

"Anyone else who wants fly across the lab?" he snarled.

The minions shook their heads in silent, fear were written all over there faceS. And by that the minions knew that he wasn't Gru, rather he is a more ruthless super villain than their master.

"Good…" Felix muttered as he removes his glasses, pulled out his handkerchief in his pocket and wiped off the sweet strawberry cream on his glasses.

"Let's get this over with…" he sighed to his minions and placed his newly-cleaned glasses back on his eyes.

And that time on, Felix explained his master plan to commit a seriously massive crime in order to get easy money to pay for the bank.

Everyone gasped in excitement when Felix mentioned the main highlight of his crime: "We will make **TWO CRIMES** at the same time: First, we rob **the banks of Wall Street** and the other is to **behead the Statue of Liberty!"**

And he carefully explained his plan:

"First, we will **divert** their attention to the Statue of Liberty while we break into the banks in Wall Street…Wait as the first team enter the Statue of Liberty and **blast her head off** with explosives, then during the beheading, the second team will **sneak into banks in Wall Street** , blast its vault and snatch as much money as we can…"

Dr. Nefario still couldn't believe his eyes. Even though he heard this plan back at the coffee shop, he still looked impressive on how he earned the minion's respect on himself and also how he confidently explains his plan.

No wonder Gru would hire him for a villain. He seemed fierce, smart and ruthless too. Like a real villain should be!

But still, that doesn't mean he'll trust him that fully. Nefario still has an eerie feeling with his guy and he'll find out about that soon enough.

Then, Kevin the minion raised his hand for a question: "Umm… Del wa koko kalian?"

"Well, Kevin…" Felix looked at him, **"We will start tomorrow…"** he answered.

Dr. Nefario blinked in surprise. **Since when did Felix know how to understand minion language? And even knows Kevin's name without asking!** _How did he know?!_ _…_ He thought, confuse.

The minions gasped in shook. They will start the crime tomorrow?! **Already?!**

"Assemble the equipments!" Felix ordered. "We need some explosives, two fully-active aircrafts and **some canvas and a paintbrush…"**

As the minions scattered around the laboratory to gather some stuffs, Dr. Nefario went to Felix, "Pardon me, Felix…" he began, "But what's with the paintbrush and canvas?"

"Just a little something to leave a mark on…" Felix smirked at him as he pulled out an invitation from his coat, an invitation for **the Anniversary Celebration of the Statue of Liberty in the Ellis Immigration Museum.**

And that's how the minions got on the Statue of Liberty, to commit the scariest crime of all: beheading the Statue of Liberty, **right during its Anniversary celebration!**

Kevin, Bob and Stuart carried the bombs on the top, the three disguised themselves as a tall, red-haired female tourist. This wasn't the first time they dressed something awkwardly, **they did this disguise once during their England Crown-stealing scheme under the command of Scarlet Overkill.**

The three had reached the inside the Crown section, the highest peak of the Statue of Liberty itself. It's time to assemble the bombs. They stripped away their disguise and quickly carried a sack of bombs to stick it around the Liberty's neck. Kevin and Stuart quickly strapped on their suction gloves around their hands and foot that way they can climb across the statue like a spider.

Bob, in the other hand, will be in a lookout while his friends assemble the bombs.

They carried the sack of bombs like a backpack and jumped into action. Kevin and Stuart used their big suctions to stick on the walls of the Statue and hurriedly they climbed through the Statue's face and down to her neck.

* * *

In the lower street of Manhattan, a random bank somewhere inside of Wall Street, a lone security guard sits inside his office watching every single screen that the security cameras where installed to, The Main Hall, the front desk, the bank teller's. Everything is under the watchful eye of this security guard, **which is kind of boring at the same time.**

He yawned in boredom and grabbed his cup of coffee. But before he could sip it, something odd had caught his eye: Down at the security halls, two yellow odd-looking guys in blue denim jumpsuit were walking briskly across the hallway, one of them is carrying a foghorn-like weapon. And in the next screen, **the two yellow creatures reached to the door of HIS office.**

Alarmed, the security guard burst out of the door with a gun in his hand. He glanced around to look for the two yellow intruders, but no sign of them. The hallway is completely quiet and empty.

"Me and my imaginations…" The guard sighed to himself.

Until, a fog of brownish-green smoke blew behind him and suddenly breathed over it. The scent was so stinky and sickening that he immediately fell onto the tiled floor and lost his unconsciousness.

At his behind, Phil giggled at his fainted victim. "Hah! Tete kori bobo Purrt bangbang! Hahaha… (Hah! **No one can withstand my Fart gun!** Hahaha…)

At his side, Mark grabbed the ankles of the security guard and drags him back into the security control room. Mark placed him on a chair and with a roll of duct tape, Mark tied and gags their unconscious victim around the chair like a mummy.

Phil climbed on the chair in front of the control panel, he spotted a joystick that controls the camera of the main entrance of the bank. He looked at the screen where he saw his fellow minions outside, waiting for the signal to enter the bank. Phil grabs the joystick and waved the camera of the front entrance.

His fellow minions outside, **Tim, Jerry and Carl** looked at the camera of the main entrance of the bank. Despite the staring of the people coming in and out of the bank, Carl started dancing, waving and making funny faces in front of the cam.

The boredom was too much that Carl found himself making pranks on that cam, and **then suddenly the camera that his playing at moved side-by-side**. Surprised, Carl called his fellow minions, and told them that Phil and Mark had made it into the security room.

And as planned: if the minions had made it to the security room, then the next group will enter next.

 **Which are Tim, Jerry and Carl!**

But still they need to stay careful, and according to Felix's plan, the next group will enter the ventilation system and looked for the room of the main vault, while Phil and Mark stays at the security control room to keep watch for anything that would distract their robbery procedures.

Above the city, Dr. Nefario stayed in **Gru's silver pointed-shape jet plane** as he parked it in midair.

According to Felix's plan, the jet will serve as a getaway aircraft for the bank robberies. As soon as the minions got the money, Nefario will fly the plane above an open highway where the minions will gather around and pick them all up at once.

Nefario doesn't like the idea on being the getaway driver, he wants to be part of the action itself but Felix mocked him on being **"too old"** for crime adventures.

"That creep…" he groaned. He maybe old for action but he is **NEVER** too old to help around doing crimes. But that's only least of his problems, because he has other concerns aside from being involved on the robbery.

"How did Felix know their language? And he even knows Kevin's name?" Nefario asked himself, puzzled. "He didn't even ask what did Kevin asked him… He just answered him right away, **as if he knows what they were actually saying…"**

Not even the doctor himself knows much of minionese **, how much more for an average stranger like Felix?**

All Nefario knew is that Gru was been with those minions ever since he was a kid, growing up with that kind of language will certainty make him quite familiar of it. Not to mention their names as well!

But it's really surprising how Felix answered on Kevin's gibberish question yesterday, Did Gru taught him to do that? Or was it his lucky guess?

"How odd…" Nefario said to himself, as he sat firmly on his seat and grips the handle tightly in confusion. Gru really chose a mysterious man to take the lead for the crimes, or perhaps, **TOO mysterious.**

 _This villain is not an ordinary one…._ _he knows too much about Gru and his minions! That's it, right after this heist, I'll get to the bottom of this,_ _ **and find out who is this man FOR REAL!**_ He decided in his thoughts, determined to find out about this villain who Gru trusted fully.

Then, Nefario noticed something from his windshield. Another familiar aircraft that shapes like a red-magnet is flying across the vast cloudy sky, Dr. Nefario looked at it closely: that aircraft is the same thing that took away the Artic Research Facility a year ago.

Then it hit him: **That's El Macho's Electro-magnetic aircraft!**

And it's heading straight to the Statue of Liberty. Dr. Nefario couldn't understand how El Macho broke out of Anti-Villain League's custody and how he learned about their scheme. But he can't just stand there in the air and watched that villain ruin the entire scam.

Ignoring his position, Nefario activate his thrusters and followed El Macho's magnet aircraft.

* * *

Back at the Ellis Island immigration Museum, the crowd stared at Felix's horrific painting:

 **THE BEHEADING** was painted in a 19th century French-themed background where a huge crowd of French people gathered around the execution site where a deathly-machine called the Guillotine stood tall and gloomy to its victims. The painting shows three people on the execution platform **: a woman prisoner** locked her head around a thick wooden frame, **a priest** that prays its victim for mercy and lastly, **an executioner** holding a rope that carry the blade that will took the life out of the accused prisoner.

Felix looked at his crowd. Some people frowned, other stood there wide-mouthed, some parents covered their children's eyes to avoid looking at this gruesome painting, and some people even fainted in shock. Whispers of curiosity and gossips filled the air…

Felix just smiled proudly, _The more horrifying this painting is,_ _ **the more famous it gets…**_ he thought.

"Umm… okay…" the museum manager said rather awkwardly.

"Umm… Will you explain to us this….painting of yours?" he asked, trying not to be rude.

"Of course…" Felix answered, then he moved closer to his painting.

"Rumor says that the inspiration of the Statue of Liberty is not only the close friendship of the Americans to the French but also symbolizes **the liberation of the French people during French revolution**." Felix explains. "This painting shows the Execution of Marie Antoinette, one of the French monarchs who were killed during the revolution."

As Felix finished, almost everyone looked at him strangely. What a scary gift to present during the Statue of Liberty celebration…

"Ooooh, interesting…" the manager said, trying to look impressed over his gloomy artwork. "But forgive me if I'm asking too much question, though…"

"As long is not that stupid…" Felix added. Rolling his eyes and hoped for a not-so senseless question.

"But of all the art concept you could think of, **Why this?"**

Before Felix could answer, he looked outside the window where the Statue of Liberty stands on the other island. He watches as El Macho's magnet aircraft landed its pair of magnetic pads over the Liberty's head.

"Because…" Felix sighed, still looking outside the window. Then he smirked, "Because just like Marie Antoinette, **she looks beautiful without her head…"**

* * *

At the Statue of Liberty, Kevin and Stuart had already installed the bombs around the Liberty's neck and it's already to blow it up.

Kevin connected the wires to a black box with a red switch standing vertically over it. As Kevin finished it, Stuart led Bob to the switch and gave him the honors to push it and activate the bombs.

"Bob, Picka Pushie Teka Bomba Eh? (Bob, I think it's your turn to light them up, Eh?") Kevin insisted him.

Bob smiled widely. He had never started a bomb before in his life. The cute little minion excitedly jumped near the black box, grabbed the switch with his two tiny hands and pushes it downwards.

 **KABOOM!** All the bombs blew up at once, a fog of bomb smoke exploded around her neck. Giant cracks grew around its copper-steel surface.

Inside El Macho's magnet-shaped aircraft, **two minions are flying the ship itself.**

The other minion activated the electro-magnetic energy on its pads below and quickly "magnetized" the copper-made statue head before it falls off, while its other co-pilot minion careful drives the ship aside, carrying the giant head of the Statue of Liberty, **and completely detaching it from its body.**

Dr. Nefario who chased after El Macho's aircraft, stopped his jet and watched shockingly over the scene.

 **El Macho's giant magnetic ship is now carrying the head of the Statue of Liberty itself!**

Despite its lack of size, the magnet ship is able to bear the massive weight of the head and its thrusters were powerful enough to carry it.

And it's rather scary-looking too, **the head is somewhat floating hauntingly across the air.** It's like seeing a horror film whereas a head got separated forcefully from its body without using any sharp objects, **like it was torn off from its body by itself.**

"Dr. Nefario…" a voice form the intercom woke up from his shock.

" **Felix?"** Dr. Neafrio recognized the voice.

"I know how surprising this scam is becoming… **Hope you would see these people's faces as they looking up at the head right now…"** Felix smiled at his cell phone as he watches the crowd glanced their attention on the floating Liberty head at the windows.

" **Where on earth did you get El Macho in this mess?"** Dr. Nefario demanded, still confuse about El Macho's aircraft being involved.

"Relax… the minions are navigating it!" Felix sighed in annoyance.

" **They what?!"** Nefario relied, dumbfounded. "You didn't mention this to me…"

"Of course not!"

"What do you mean **'Of course not'**?!"

"I will explain later… Now you know what to do next, I'll meet you here shortly…"

And by that Felix hanged up.

Dr. Nefario felt even more intense about this mysterious villain. He's not the type of guy who can be trusted. But Nefario has to stay focus first, and do the next thing: **Fetch the other minions from the bank in Manhattan.**

* * *

The people in New York City were totally shocked as they are watching their beloved Statue of Liberty got decapitated and floats her head slowly across the air.

The news about this is spreading quickly and the people were watching it **LIVE**.

There it is: that giant magnet-shaped aircraft is slowly taking the liberty head away from their city, and the people couldn't do anything but to watch it worriedly and horrifically.

Even the television in the Bank of Manhattan are broadcasting it live, and by that the whole bank where the minions are breaking in fell silent and got distracted by this scariest crime yet.

Tim, Jerry and Carl were crawling through the ventilation system. It took them awhile to find the main vault. First, they got lost in a vent of the lady's room, then next the pantry, then the garbage chute where Tim fell accidentally on a dumpster.

Then finally, they saw another light coming from another vent. Carl took a close peek and they saw the room full of cash, gold coins and a wall of depository boxes.

Carl called out his friends until they heard an exploding sound rumbled across the ventilation system.

" **Liberty go BOOMBOOM…"** Tim said to his teammates.

Now that's the signal: Once they heard that explosion, they will enter the main vault and get the money while the people's attentions are on that beheading of the statue.

Jerry kicked down the lid of vent and jumped into the main vault. They noticed a security camera inside the main vault but just to remind themselves that Phil and Mark were the ones watching them from the security room.

This is safe for now. The Bank crew will soon turn their attention back to the bank and not for long, **they will be discovered.**

Hurriedly, Tim, Jerry and Carl unfolded their sacks and grabbed as many money as they can.

* * *

Back at the Ellis immigration Museum, the crowd from the inside gathered before the windows and watched shockingly as the head of the Statue of Liberty carried away by a flying magnetic ship **. "Good Lord!"** a middle-aged man gasped as he gazing his eyes on the sight.

"Mommy, mommy, **the head's flying…."** A little girl said to her shocked mother.

"Who could've done this?" a woman exclaimed in fright.

" **Who do you think?"** a calm voice said from behind.

The crowd glanced back and saw Felix standing alone with his black walking stick. Felix looked back at them in silence, a smile crept across his face.

The people looked at him strangely, what's with that smile for?

Then, the museum manager looked at the painting beside Felix. And with that scene, he's got the idea.

Felix's painting, The Beheading, must be his sign of this horrible crime. Not to mention what he had answered back lately: "Because just like Marie Antoinette, **she looks beautiful without her head…"**

" **IT'S YOU!"** The museum manager stepped forward at him, " **You did this… Did'cha?** "

Felix looked at him, still smiling.

"You came here not because you want to take a tour **but you're here to destroy the Statue of Liberty** , aren't you?!" the manager roared, his eyes flashed in anger.

Then, Felix chuckled and rolled his eyes, " **Very good answer,** **Mr. Elison** … And I thought you're too stupid to notice that…" he mocked.

The crowd behind shoot frowned looks at Felix.

"How dare you…" an angry voice boomed from behind.

"How could you do this?!" another woman demanded.

" **You fiend!"** a teenager girl shouted at him.

" **You Monster!"** an old woman shook her heavy wrinkled fist.

" **You crazy four-eyed jerk!"** the teenager boy earlier cried back at Felix with an angry look.

Felix couldn't help but to smile even more. Those words and the aura of terror, cursing and dread were like music to his ears. **It's been years since he heard those comments.** For villain like himself, those were compliments rather than insults.

"That's it, I'm calling the security!" Mr. Elison the museum manager took out his phone from his pocket. But before he could dial the number, **a pinching pain struck into his neck.** Then, he suddenly felt heavy, his eye sight blurred, his head began to spin and next, he lost his consciousness and fell flat on the floor.

His cell phone slipped from his fingers and dropped on the ground.

The crowd stood in shock as they saw Mr. Elison dropped lifelessly on the floor. Then, they glanced at Felix who just disassembled his Stun dart at his wristwatch. He walked towards his victim and stared down over his phone.

Then, he lifted up his foot and stomped the cell phone on the floor.

"Anyone else likes to call the security?" Felix asked his crowd as he crumbles the phone even harder under his fine leather sole.

The crowd just stood there, frozen in shock. Fear and horror appeared to their eyes. They couldn't believe that their anniversary celebration will become a hostile takeover. This man seemed very dangerous. He just made a gruesome attack on the Statue of Liberty itself, how much more if he'll hostage one of them?

" **I'll take that as a NO…"** Felix confirmed to himself. Then, he briskly walked away from the spot and towards the door. But before he could leave the hall, he glanced back at his crowd.

"You might want to look closely on my painting… **there is something you should know from there** …" he said as he walked across the hall and out of the door.

" **I STILL LOVE YOU!"** a familiar fan girl named Jillian screamed at Felix with a love-struck smile on her face while everyone looked at her, strangely.

* * *

Dr. Nefario drove the ship down to Manhattan. As he passed by the roads, he observed the people as they draw their attention over the floating head of the Statue of Liberty.

Nefario has to admit: **This scene is really haunting.** He can also see the desperation in their eyes. People crying, shouting and screaming for help as they're watching their beloved Statue of Liberty being destroyed slowly and terribly.

But the people soon noticed Nefario's ship passing by and landed safely on a wide open highway near a bank where the minions were sneaking into.

Nefario watched as **Tim, Jerry and Carl, each carrying a big sack of cash** burst out of the doors of the bank, behind them are **Phil and Mark** who just hacked the security system a while ago came running panicky, and the five minions came running towards the jet. At their behind, a group of security guards jumps out of the door with their police batons on their hands. The guards saw the intruders getting inside the jet and is about to take off.

As the five minions boarded the ship, Nefario quickly took the plane out on the ground and flew off to the sky, leaving the guards groaning in anger for their failed attempt on arresting them.

As planned, Dr. Nefario flew the jet to the Ellis Island to fetch Felix.

He groaned. He doesn't like Felix very much and he would gladly leave him behind and let the police arrest him, but hearing Gru's statement about trusting this man left him no choice but to obey.

Nefario twitched. Perhaps he's just overreacting. Perhaps his old-age is coming to a peak and his behaviors are running uncontrollably, making him highly sensitive. But still, his gut tells him **that Felix can never be trusted.**

He doesn't know why, but something isn't right about Felix. He's more impatient, sadistic and cruel than Gru himself. He had never seen a villain so cold and evil before, or at least he had never work with a villain **with such evil-ness** before.

As he passed the island of the Statue of Liberty, he couldn't help but to stare at the sight of El Macho's electro-magnetic plane carrying the decapitated head of the Statue itself. The minion watched in amazement but more on horror as they gaze over the head as if it's floating ghost-like in the air.

The two minions who navigates El Macho's plane pulled the handle upward to drive the jet to a vertical motion. Now, the magnet-shaped plane is carrying the head upward, sending the head up high to the sky.

The people gasped in horror as the head of their beloved statue suddenly flying up to the clouds. In a few seconds, the magnet jet pulled up the head to the clouds and disappeared.

Total silence roamed around the city, even inside the Ellis museum. Completely shocked of the scene, and just stared with wide eyes at their decapitated Statue of Liberty.

A woman even fainted at the shores of New York, totally overwhelmed after seeing the scariest crime yet.

At the outside of the Ellis Immigration museum, Dr. Nefario has already landed his jet on a wide yawn of the museum. He climbed out of the driver's seat and looked up to the cloudy sky where the head of the Statue of Liberty disappeared.

" **Stunning, isn't it?"** a British voice said from behind.

Nefario glanced back to see Felix standing there with fancy black cane. A smile formed on his face, waiting for Nefario's response.

He looked at his annoying, arrogant smile on Felix. He wanted to tell him: "That was an inhumane show back there… **and there's nothing to be smiling about!"**

Really, that scam is **TOO MUCH** for just an ordinary act of stealing.

But he thought maybe it's not the time to argue with him, especially that they're in a wide open space and guards come and get them any second.

So Nefario thought of an alternate response aside from the one he thought lately, **"Did you think we overdid it?"** he asked, trying to ask the same subject of the question as calmly as he can.

"What do you mean?" Felix chuckled, as he passed by him and climbed aboard on the parked jet plane.

Nefario followed him and went to the pilot's seat. "I mean, we're only here for the money, **not a stone head!"** he said as he started the engine and the thrusters roared to a start.

The silver jet plane slowly ascended away on the grassy lawn of the island and flew away across the sky.

"This will be on the headlines, **and surely the Anti-Villain League will investigate you soon…"** he added, secretly worrying about Gru if the AVL learned about Felix working with him.

" **Then, let them come…"** Felix mumbled, his smile was gone and replaced by a determined frown.

"I'm not afraid of anyone… **Not anymore…"** he added, sitting at the passenger's seat beside Nefario and looking at their glass windshield and watched as the clouds passed by.

The minions, who are also on the ship looked at Felix from behind, amazed about his brave, strong statement.

But Dr. Nefario looked at Felix not because of amazement **but because of eerie curiosity**. He doesn't know what does the head of the Statue of Liberty got to do with Gru's bank debts, but whatever the reason is, he won't like it…

 **Why would he need to get that massive stone head if his client only needs money?**

 **Does Felix have other plans aside from helping Gru on his bank debts?**

 **Is he plotting something against Gru?**

But the most intriguing is Felix's statement lately: "I'm not afraid of anyone… **Not anymore…"**

 _What does he mean by "Not anymore"?_ Nefario thought, staring out of the windshield as he flew the jet above the clouds.

The thought of that phrase "Not anymore" made Dr. Nefario realized something. From day one, **he saw Felix as the most devious villain yet.** He loves knocking people down with his stun darts, insulting people with his words, obeys no one but his own works and ambitions

And most importantly, **he is the most fearsome person he ever known.** He can strike up the person's phobia by just looking at them.

So since when did Felix learned to be afraid?

He said earlier he's not afraid of anyone **ANYMORE.**

So before he became a fearsome villain, **did Felix ever felt fear itself before?**

 _Surely that's an odd thing for Felix…_ _ **I can't imagine him looking afraid.**_ He thought as he flew the jet across the clouds and the warm blue sky stretched across the vast space.

And in front of them, **the red magnet-shaped ship floats suspend above the clouds** , carrying the massive head of the Statue of Liberty with its magnetic pads.

"So what's next, Mr. Fe-" Dr. Nefario glanced at Felix but was utterly surprise by what he saw.

Felix sat leaning on his chair. His eyes closed and sighed, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose while his other hand holds his glasses.

Dr. Nefario stared at disbelief. **Gru used to do that when he's a little stress!** He saw that reaction a million times, **especially the time when he built a bunch of boogie robots** for his scheme on getting the shrink ray from Vector.

Gru would close his eyes, pinched the bridge of his long nose and sighed in dismay.

And now, Felix is doing the something. And to be honest **, he saw Gru rather than Felix himself!**

Felix noticed his stare and frowned grimly, "What are you gawking at?"

Dr. Nefario shook his head and snapped back from his shock. "Um, well…" he stammered. "The whole scam seemed ended just fine, so what's our next move?"

" **Fly back to the headquarters…"** Felix ordered immediately as he puts back his golden-rimmed glasses on. "We've done enough for one day, let's move out…"

Then, Nefario contact the minions driving the magnet ship with an intercom, **"Mission accomplished, people… Let's go home…"**

Nefario heard a " **YEHEE"** cheered from the other line. The minions did a great done today and they would like to reward themselves with some cupcakes and milkshakes for dinner.

The magnet ship drove across the sky with their prized head and the silver jet followed it.

Back inside the silver jet plane, Felix leaned back on his seat again and sighed. He stared his gleaming green eyes on the windshield beside him, watching as the clouds raced by under them.

But the anxious Dr. Nefario stared at the windshield as he steers the handle of the jet.

That nose bridge-pinching gesture sure reminds him so much of his friend, it's as if this Felix is Gru himself. But if it's not, **how can this be a coincidence?**

Dr. Nefario mentally recalled some few of Felix's mysterious behavior:

Back at the coffee shop, Felix talked to him as if he knows Gru, **even he didn't met him before in person…**

Then,back at the lair, Kevin the minion asked Felix in minionese, but Felix understood his language and even got his name right **without even asking…**

And now, just moments ago, Felix did the perfect nose bridge-pinching gesture, **the way Gru would do when he's stress…**

 _ **This is crazy…**_ He thought to himself, looking away at Felix. _Perhaps I'm overacting…_ _ **Anyone can do that pinching face thing…right?**_

Nefario looked at him with his goggled-eyes on Felix who is still staring blankly on the windshield, avoiding Nefario's gaze.

Then he thought again: **O** _ **r does is it?**_

He looked at Felix again. He's just sitting there, silently. Continuously watching the clouds float by from outside the window. His expression looks blank and he seemed to be deep in thought.

 _Something is really not right…_ he thought in confusion. This time, he can't tell if this person is Gru acting someone else, or a villain that spies on Gru and somewhat copies or studying his every move.

 **And what about the minions?** Did he spy on them too? He knows Kevin's name, does that mean he knows all of them too?

And their language? How can he understand minionese? That language is too complicated to just guess it…

Nefario sighed. He thought maybe in order to clear his mind, he needs to speak to Gru, **perhaps his friend knows about Felix after all,** and maybe he can explain it all to him just to need some clarity to minimize the suspicion.

But if it's not true that he and Felix are, well, connected, Then Felix can be an **INTRUDER.** Possibly, he's spying on Gru and wants to take advantages on his minions and also his life as well.

But instead of worrying, Dr. Nefario smiled at the idea, if it's true that Felix is a spy, then **that's a perfect opportunity to fire Felix out of the job!** That Crime-for-hire creep will be gone sooner and no one will robe away Gru's trust on him ever again!

 _ **A perfectly despicable thought…**_ Nefario smiled to himself, he looked at Felix at the corner of his eye, and the green-eyed villain is still staring emptily at the windshield, unknowingly about the old doctor's evil grin on his face.

 **END OF CHAPTER THREE**

 **Author's note:** Thanks for reading this chapter. I'm really sorry for the late update, making a dastardly scheme for the story is really challenging, **but I hope you like the story.** Expect more mysterious outcomes as **the Anti-Villain League calls Gru and Lucy to investigate this new villain.**

Will the AVL discover Gru's involvement with Felix Grudgeman? **What is the hidden thing in villain's scary painting?** And what will be Felix's next move?

Let the investigation begin in **Chapter Four: Strangest Case Yet**


	5. Strangest Case Yet

**CHAPER FOUR: STRANGEST CASE YET**

(GRU'S JOURNAL ENTRY)

 _OCTOBER 13, Monday_

 _11:25 AM_

 _All my hard work in those three days is slowly paying off!_

 _Just yesterday, Felix had successfully committed the grandest crime yet, **beheading the Statue of Liberty itself.**_

 _Though it's not as grand as my moon-stealing heist, but it's enough to scare the people in that city. And not only that, he also accomplished to get me money from the bank in Manhattan._

 _Now all I have to do is to go to bank and give Mr. Perkins his money back and all of this will end._

 _I was able to return to my villain career with the help of Felix and spend time with my family at the same time… This is truly a beautiful grand idea **and I never felt so happy!**_

 _You know, I couldn't believe that same night right after the heist, Dr. Nefario called me from his office from the underground laboratory because he wanted to tell me something urgent…_

 _And he warned me this: Felix Grudgman, my hired Villain, is an imposter! And he's planning something against me and my family!_

 _He even told me all his suspicions on Felix. From our similar looks, his overly sadistic personality, his rude approach to the minions and also his knowledge about me and the minions themselves._

 _He noticed that Felix knows Kevin's name and also his question in minionese, all without asking._

 _ **What a worry-wart!** Just because Felix luckily guessed that minion's languages and also knows my lifestyle doesn't make him an imposter already. I don't know if he is just old or just plain curious, but I never like the way he frames Felix as a traitor or something._

 _And besides, I know Felix would never do that. **As long he is in my control,** nothing will go wrong._

 _I don't want to make this issue worst, for one thing: **I'm in a good mood** since Felix had help me gathered some money to pay for my debts._

 _So I took a deep breath and said to him that no matter how awful Felix is, he did completed his job and I hope he would respect him too._

 _But Nefario gave me a cold stare and said: " **He never respects anyone** , not even to me and to your minions."_

 _I tried to explain to him as calmly as I can, I don't want the old man to freak out too much…_

 _I said to him that Felix's personality maybe too much, but that's what a villain should be. Rude, Cold and Sadistic, Felix is perfect to perform this task and **I trusted him as I trusted you…**_

 _By that, Dr. Nefario finally shut up and looked down._

 _I also added that **if he can't do this for him,** **then at least do this for me…**_

 _Then, Dr. Nefario looked at me, surprised, as if I said something that would bothers him._

 _I felt uneasy. His stare looked frightened and he seemed speechless._

 _"Something wrong?" I asked him. Then, he shook his head as if he's waking up from a bad dream._

 _"Yes, I'm fine…" he answered. But I can see behind those goggles that he's not okay._

 _But then again, I ended that discussion with a pat on back and smiled at him, just to show that I'm okay too…_

 _But just like him, **I'm not Okay…**_

 _As I quickly left his office, I couldn't help but to feel a little…. **Hesitant.**_

 _I really want to tell him something between me and Felix, but I fear he won't understand…_

 _I know we're friends but sometimes, things like this should remain as a secret_

 _If he can't appreciate Felix, then surely he'll never understand **my real involvement** on him._

 _Anyhow, I was just taking the elevator in my underground laboratory when Lucy called me on my cell phone._

 _"It's Mr. Ramsbottom…" she said. "He wants us at the AVL base and discuss about the incident yesterday…"_

 _"I got it…" I answered, trying to sound serious, "I'll be there shortly…"_

 _Then I hung up._

 _Just as I was expecting, our Anti-Villain director had gained attention over our heist yesterday._

 _Also I can't tell Lucy or that Ramsbottom about our **"partnership"** with Felix or even my issue with Mr. Perkins and my bank debts… **Or at least, not yet...**_

 _But rest assure, I have to keep my feet on the ground…_

 _No, I'm not scared that they will discover my involvement on Felix's crimes… But like I wrote a while ago, Felix will never hurt anyone,_

 _Yes, he will continue his crimes along with me but he will not involve anyone in my family nor ruin my family life as well…_

 _And as for Silas and the AVL, let them investigate… **they'll never find any clues about him anyway…**_

* * *

 **The Anti-Villain League** , or the AVL for short, is a top-secret organization that promotes peace and order against the world's most dangerous and powerful super villains.

But this department is established in a very unusual place **, underwater!** The Anti-Villain League's headquarter itself is a giant submarine located at the deepest part of the ocean floor. A very good hiding place to avoid detection from the enemies.

Inside the AVL, a vast hall of computer workers operates the system's mainframe to gather information of the villains and their next League Target.

 **Silas Ramsbottom** always takes his job seriously. As a lead director of the Crime-fighting agency, he is always aware of any criminal activities around the globe.

From Scarlet's crown-stealing and Coronation scheme, to Vector's pyramid-stealing scam, from El Macho's disappearance and comeback and to Gru's Moon-stealing heist,

All that is under the watchful eyes of the AVL themselves.

A while ago, Silas contacted is loyal agent, Lucy Wilde (or at least **Mrs. Gru-Wilde** , since she got married by a former villain partner) for their newest agenda regarding the event yesterday. A mysterious villain named Felix Grudgeman came terrorizing New York by beheading the Statue of Liberty and robbing a bank somewhere in Manhattan.

For him, this is a very strange case. Among the villains that he had observed, he had never seen a villain so clever and dangerous before. And judging from Felix's actions on that crime, this new villain doesn't act like a rookie for him.

Silas passed through the main hallway and entered to a giant base of computer researchers around him. At the middle of the base, a long conference table sitting on a wide platform that seemed to be an island that extended midair. A wide bridge is connected to the doors of the hallway which he is standing and to the conference platform where **Gru and Lucy are sitting side by side at the other edge of the table,** waiting patiently for their boss.

Silas glared at Gru who seemed to be too calm as he happily hums a song and sitting relaxingly with his legs stretching out on the table, as if he's sitting on a hammock in a resort or something. Silas has never liked Gru very much. Aside from his rude personality, he doesn't trust villains especially to a guy who stole the moon and almost caused a great gravitational threat on their planet itself.

If it wasn't for Gru's early retirement, **he would've become the League's next Target** and Silas would gladly arrest this villain. But ever since the PX-41 robbery in the Artic Research Facility, Silas has no choice but to agree to his superiors that they need a person that acts and thinks like a villain in order to catch a much bigger villain, and unfortunately, Gru was their best option, **which Silas personally hates.**

But as a professional, Silas decided to keep his opinions to himself, and rather follow the agency's order on getting Gru for a crime-fighting spy. And now, he's doing it again: Convincing Gru to spy on this Felix guy.

Silas took the seat at the other edge of the conference table and called his butler to offer them some tea.

"Good morning, Lucy… **and Gru…"** Silas greeted them but frowned a little when his eyes turned to Gru, who is still sitting like a bum, he leans on his chair with his long legs rested on the table.

"Oh Mornin', Silas…" Gru greeted him, as if he's just talking a regular person.

"Glad to see you in a good mood…" Silas said to him, frowning some more. "But I hope you won't get carried away by putting your feet up before your superior…"

" **Don't worry, I got that covered…"** Gru said, ignoring his warning.

Silas arched up his eyebrow in annoyance. Lucy noticed her boss and glanced at her husband.

" **Gru, manners…"** she whispered to his ear with uneasiness.

"Aw c'mon, **this is my place too…"** said the stubborn Gru.

Annoyed, Lucy pulled out her **Taser that shaped like a Lipstick.** She pointed it at Gru's leg and struck a quick zap on it.

" **OW!"** Gru jolted his legs out on the table and fall off to his seat, hitting the floor with a loud thud.

"Thank you, Mrs. Gru-Wilde…" Silas sighed in satisfaction, good thing he still has Lucy's loyalty despite being Gru's wife.

Lucy gave him a cherry smile while Gru struggles to climb back to his chair, trying to fight the burning numbness that her Taser had caused on his leg.

"Now, Let's begin…" the director declared. Silas's butler appeared at his side, carrying a tray with three teacups and a pot of earl grey tea. The butler placed a teacup on Silas's side and poured some tea.

"I believe you all know what happened yesterday…" Silas said.

" **You mean the beheading of the Statue of Liberty itself?"** Lucy answered.

"Indeed…" Ramsbottom replied as he picked up his teacup and sipped his tea.

The butler went to Lucy and placed her earl grey tea at her side as Mr. Ramsbottom pushed a button on his control panel on his side and came out a rounded projector on their conference table. The projector flashed a wide hologram screen of the event that happened yesterday.

Silas sighed after drinking his tea. "As you can see, this was recorded live yesterday when a mysterious villain named **Felix Amadeus Grudgeman** suddenly decapitated the Statue of Liberty…"

The butler came to Gru and offered the same tea. Gru leaned over his chair, still recovering his leg from the electrifying pain.

Gru grabbed his drink as the butler gave it to him. The villain glanced at the screen as it flashed the image of the suspected villain behind the crime.

" **Whoa!"** Lucy exclaimed and turned to Gru, who was about to drink his tea when Lucy grabbed his arm and shook it in excitement. "Gru, he looks like you… **he's like a super-duper villain version of you!** " she pointed and stared amazingly at the hologram image of Felix. His looks and body shape are incredibly identical to her husband, but with dark shoulder-length hair and light green eyes.

Hot tea began to spill all over Gru's black jacket as she shook his arm. "Hey! Okay, okay… he looks like me! **Now please quit shaking me…"** he exclaimed to his overly-enthusiastic wife.

"Whoops, sorry about that…" Lucy smiled sheepishly, as she let go her hand from his arm. Gru sighed as he looked at his empty cup and then to his dark jacket from which his drink had ended up.

"Based on our research, this Felix seemed to be quite new in our list… he proclaim himself as a **'Gentleman Villain'** " Silas added as he looked at his research papers beside him.

"Oh, he does look like a gentleman…" Lucy smirked, slightly attracted by Felix's fancy glasses and his green British-looking outfit.

"Really?" Gru sighed and stared at Lucy.

"Oh sorry, dear…" Lucy blushed at her jealous-looking husband. **"I meant the 'Gentleman Villain' thing suits him…"**

"When you say 'Gentleman Villain', it doesn't literally mean he's gentle man…rather it means **'Independent Villain'** " Silas corrected her.

"It's like a 19th century term for independent professionals…" Gru added and asked the butler for some tea.

"Oh, what a fancy title for a guy…" Lucy said, "But isn't all villains are somewhat… independent? I mean, they don't trust much people right…" she asked to Silas.

"That is true…" Gru answered, his face suddenly went serious. Lucy and Silas glanced at him as the butler placed back his newly-refilled teacup on the table. "By actions, they are independent, but when it comes to financial support, they seek help from a bank exclusively for villains…"

" **The Bank of Evil…"** Silas mentioned. **"Run by Mr. Perkins…"**

"Exactly…" Gru pointed out, "Most of the villains are financial dependent on this bank, villains like me once, cannot pull off a biggest crime without some money to buy some equipments for that…"

Silas knows about this bank. Managed by Victor Perkin's father, this bank has been supporting villains financially for years, but still the AVL can't get a clear location where it is hidden.

But going after that bank is another thing, **Felix is the main agenda of this meeting** and he can hunt down that bank after this issue.

"And what's the connection with Felix being independent?" Lucy asked Gru.

"Well..." Gru cleared his throat. "Felix, on the other hand, is different. Unlike other villains who gains financial support on the Bank of Evil, **he depends on his villainous activities to get money,** like robbing banks, jewelry shop, pawn shops, kidnap and ransom, anything that can get money easily without the support of any of banks or employer."

"If that is so…" Silas sighed after he sipped his tea. "Then, we will record him as **the FIRST INDEPENDENT VILLAIN** in the history of villainy."

Gru grew a small smile in his face, which Silas suddenly noticed. Gru may be a former super villain, and retired his life of crime for his daughters but sometimes Silas got the feeling **that Gru still can't be trusted.**

"Independent and fierce…" Lucy added, impressed.

"All villains are fierce…" Gru said, his smile disappeared and took a sip over his drink. "But unlike other villains, Felix is a lot more vicious and took great passion over his career…"

" **How did you know all this?"** Lucy asked, surprised by her husband's knowledge about this guy.

"Well, judging by how he did it yesterday, he seemed to be a much powerful foe…" Gru answered, placing his teacup back on the table.

" **Not powerful, but intelligent…"** Silas corrected him. "Felix had pulled two crimes at the same time…"

Silas pressed again the button at his side and the hologram screen flashed an image of the Manhattan bank after the beheading of the Statue of Liberty.

"This was recorded yesterday by a random citizen in New York…" Silas said, "After the decapitation, a security alarm blared at this bank and next scene was the security guards calling the investigators on the phone in front of an empty bank vault…And they believe that this incident happened during the beheading…"

"So the person behind that beheading thing is also the guy behind that robbery?" Lucy suddenly asked.

"That's what we suspected it…" Silas said and glanced down on his document papers. "Especially that based on our records, there are some witnesses of the bank robbery itself…"

"Why can't we just use the security cameras for evidence?"

Gru glanced at his wife with a blank expression.

"They can't…" Silas said, a bit disappointed, "The robbers had hacked the security control office inside that bank and **deleted all the video footage of the crime scene** , no one can now tell who's really responsible of it…"

Gru sighed and leaned over his chair, grabbing his tea and takes a sip.

Silas stared at Gru, the ex-villain seemed too comfortable regarding this issue. Also, he is quite knowledgeable about Felix and his occupation as an independent villain. Silas thought for a moment, after all, Gru had been a villain for many years and he bet he knows all the different qualities of any villain, **which is why Silas takes a suspicious look on this guy.**

"Well, that can't be good…" Lucy replied to her director.

"And that's not all…" Silas continued, "This was taken before the incident. Inside the Ellis island immigration museum, Felix presented himself as a guest speaker and offered some kind of a **'gift of gratitude'** to the museum itself…"

Then, Silas pressed the same button and flashed another image on the hologram screen. Lucy burst out her chair in horror while Gru spitted the tea out of his mouth in shock. Black droplets of tea sprayed through air like a perfume spray.

"Will you **PLEASE** control yourself once in a while?!" Gru coughed and groaned at his overreacting wife.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Gru…" Lucy apologized, "That… that scary picture just flashed at the screen and it shocked the heck out of me!" she stammered as she pointed at the huge hologram screen

Gru looked at it and saw a familiar image: Felix's painting, **THE BEHEADING** , is showing at the hologram screen itself. The guillotine, the woman prisoner, the executioner and even the priest were painted in a much dark, gothic way.

"So what's in that painting?" Gru asked to Silas, rather in an insulting way.

Silas just raised his eyebrow and stare at him coldly.

"We asked permission to the museum manager to investigate this painting, and he gladly handed it to us **permanently"** Silas began.

Gru and Lucy exchange looks. By the looks of that painting, no wonder why the museum manager would give it away without a price.

"And so, we took it to the examination area to check any clues…" Silas continued, "And as we used some LED lights in a dark room, we found this:"

Then, Silas pushes another button at his side and the image of the painting began to change the hue. As the image is slowly turning into dark blue hue, **a bunch of letters written in invisible ink slowly appearing,** glowing as the hue turns dark.

And there, a hidden message is revealed:

THIS IS ONLY THE BEGEINNING

WATCH YOUR HEADS FOR MORE

 **DESPICABLY YOURS,**

 **F**

" **F?"** Lucy looked at it, puzzled. "What's an F stands for?"

" **Failure, I guess…"** Gru giggled, trying to make a laugh out of this blood-chilling message.

"It stands for **FELIX** himself…" Silas corrected him, **"And I believe he knows about us too…"**

"What do you mean he knows?" Lucy asked at she finally sips her lukewarm Earl Grey tea.

Then, Silas snapped his fingers to signal the butler. The butler appeared next to Lucy and handed her a folder with the labels:

TOP SECRET VILLAIN FILES #1036:

 **EL MACHO** aka EDUARDO PEREZ.

Gru leaned next to her as she opens the folder. On the first page was El Macho's magnet-shaped rocket that robbed a Research Center somewhere at the Artic Circle.

"You may recall the aircraft that El Macho had used to steal away the Artic Research Center. " Silas began.

"Yeah, so what?" Gru asked, puzzled.

Silas snapped his fingers again and the same butler came next to Gru. He handed to him a folder with the labels:

TOP SECRET VILLAIN FILES #1037:

 **FELIX AMADEUS GRUDGEMAN** aka UNKNOWN

Silas studied Gru's expression as he stared over it. So far, he didn't saw any small reaction in his face but still Silas is not buying it.

Gru opened the folder and the first page shown a picture of the floating head of the Statue of Liberty, and on its head is a familiar aircraft that seemed to look like a magnet.

Gru jolted in shock as Lucy appeared next to him and exclaimed: **"Hey! That's El Macho's magnet plane thingy…"** she pointed a zoom-in photo clipped that the first page of the folder, a photo of El Macho's magnet aircraft carrying the head of the Statue of Liberty itself.

Lucy compared the picture of the ship carrying the head and the picture of the ship carrying the Artic Research center, **They match!**

"Even though that this aircraft is under our custody, this villain had managed to sneak into our highly-secured area and get that aircraft without us noticing it…" Silas began. "This is highly disturbing especially that no one has ever broken inside this area due to its high-quality security systems…"

"Well, at the way Felix did it, **it doesn't seem so "high-quality" enough** " Gru smirked.

" **Unfortunately…"** Silas agreed with a glare. Despite Gru's insults, he does have some truths behind it. "This villain seemed to know about us, because if he doesn't, **he wouldn't steal that magnet aircraft from us!"**

"So this villain knows where this magnet ship is hiding, do you actually think he knows about us, as in **all of us?"** Lucy chuckled nervously as she asked. Gru sensed her fright and holds her hand.

"No," Gru whispered calmly and looked warmly at her eyes. "He will never find out, he won't…"

Silas looked at the couple across his table. Despite Gru's rude behavior, he still has a heart for his wife and his adopted children but still his suspicion on him doesn't change a bit.

"But the message…" Lucy glanced back at the screen with the haunting message on it. "What could this mean?"

"We are not quite sure," Silas interrupted the two, "But we believe it's some kind of a threat… **Felix is our newest League target now!** What he did is a **traumatic act of terrorism** , and we cannot afford to witness any more of his crimes."

"Right…" the determined Lucy straightens her back and placed back her folders back on the table. "So how do we stop him?"

Gru, on the other hand, sits quietly and looked again at Felix's records.

"Well, we can't for now, we need to investigate…" Silas said, "Luckily, **we have tracked down El Macho's magnet aircraft which Felix used and we're able to locate his whereabouts…** "

Gru's head jerked up in surprise, and stared blankly at his wife. Then, he quietly puts down the folder on the table, grabbed his teacup and finished his drink.

Silas soon noticed this and couldn't help but to think, why is Gru acting so strangely today?

" **And the ship's location is somewhere at Paradise Mall…"** Silas continued as he pushes another button and the hologram screen was replaced by three-dimensional hologram figures of the Paradise Mall itself.

Gru looked at it blankly, recalling the event that the last time he came here is for the investigation on Eduardo Perez and his Mexican restaurant called Salsa-Salsa, along with his partner-turned-wife Lucy Wilde.

"There, again?" Lucy asked, surprised.

"Yes…" Silas answered, "From that time on, we lost track of the ship itself. And so, we need you to go there and investigate…"

" **Why don't we just arrest the guy?"** Lucy asked immediately.

Gru almost choked down his drink after his wife said that. Silas watches him with blankly as Lucy aided her coughing husband.

"Not yet…" Silas replied, "Felix seemed to be smart and dangerous at the same, and I think that message on that painting is **for us, the AVL!** His threatening message is **provoking us to arrest him…**

And if we did arrest him, I bet he won't make it that easy. He can use it as trap to get us, and it can be our greatest defeat…"

"What're talking about? Are you scared of this newbie villain?" Gru looked at Silas. He hasn't see his director looked so disturbed before.

Silas sighed loudly, and looked down at his hands as he rubs them together. He usually doesn't let his employees see him in a scared mood, but this villain is so cryptic and dangerous that he doesn't know what to do first.

Felix is a new villain on the block and his first crime as a rookie is highly audacious and shocking. Judging by the crime he committed yesterday, he seemed to be very destructive.

Silas fear that if they made a one quick move to arrest, Felix can destroy them all in perhaps seconds.

"Felix…" he started, "unlike other villains, **he's the most strangest one…"**

"What do you mean?" Gru frowned slightly.

"I mean, he is not an ordinary villain. He may be new but his crime yesterday is too extravagant for a first timer, **I'm afraid this isn't the first time he committed such crime…"** Silas explained.

Everyone in the table become silent and the only sounds that filled the air is the clicking sounds of the computer keywords and the beeping sounds of the machines around them.

Lucy and Gru looked at each other, and then they looked at Silas. Just like Gru, Lucy hasn't seen her boss looked so awfully scared. In all her years working with this person, Silas took his director job quite profoundly and fearlessly, but she never seen Silas so terribly disturbed by this strange new villain.

"So… what's our first move for now?" Lucy broke the silent by a question.

Her question caught Silas's attention. So far, he wasn't sure what first thing he needs to do, but the only option he can think is **to study their target.**

Felix is a risky foe and he doesn't want to make any reckless move to catch him. Perhaps studying the movements of their target might be the best move to do first. After all, knowing your enemy first is the easiest way to defeat them!

"We can't arrest him yet," Silas started, "we need to be careful… he seemed to be strange and quite dangerous and we can't make any wrong move…

I need you two to look around the mall and learn more about this Felix person, the more we know our target, **the easier to arrest him** , and do it quietly, We don't want our target to notice us…"

Lucy and Gru stared at Silas with seriousness. " **Felix is a sly, talented villain…** Investigate him and gather as much information as we can… and you will all start in that…" he pointed at the 3D hologram figures of the Paradise Mall itself.

Lucy felt eerie as she sits firmly on her seat. Judging from the way Mr. Ramsbottom discussed this agenda, he seemed pretty dead serious about this Felix guy. That villain is very unknown to the AVL's files, though he's quite new in the villain history, Felix acted as if this is not his first attempt on pulling a grand crime, which is why the Anti-Villain League is taking careful moves on arresting this guy.

And judging on Felix's hidden message on his painting, this is just the beginning of his reign of terror, and the world has to watch their heads on his next attempt.

But despite the warning, Gru and Lucy agreed to take this mission on spying on Felix and learn more about him and his next plan.

" **Lucy and Gru are on the case, sir!"** Lucy jolted out of her seat and made a salute to Mr. Ramsbottom.

Gru rolled his eyes. His wife can be too perky to make a childish military salute after a serious discussion.

"Then, it settled…" Silas stood put form his seat and turns off the hologram projector. "Investigate Felix and Keep me updated..."

Then, the director adjourned the meeting and let his two agents leave the table. But he himself didn't leave the table and just watches Gru leaving along with his wife, his face frowned and walks away, turning his back on Silas.

The director watches him until he reached the elevator along with his wife. The silent Gru stood in front of the elevator door but he didn't even look across, **as if he's avoiding Silas.**

The elevator door closed in front of them and the two agents went up to the upper floor to their landing base where Lucy's car parked.

Silas called his butler to collect the teacups around the table. "Pardon my curiosity, sir…" the butler began as he gathers the teacups and placed them on his tray. **"But do you have any suspicion on your agents?"**

"That is not part of your business here…" Silas answered as calmly as he can.

"Forgive me, sir…" the awkward butler replied as he carried his tray full of teacups and walks away, leaving Silas standing alone beside their conference table.

Silas still doesn't want to appear afraid in front of his employees, not even to his butler.

The director watches his butler left the table and sighed, even the butler noticed his quiet observation.

But if he ever had the courage to reply to his question, **the answer would be YES.**

Mr. Ramsbottom is beginning to suspect his agents, most especially to Gru. Right at the beginning of the meeting, Gru acted so oddly, he sat comfortably like a bum with his legs stretched up, then as the meeting gets deeper, Gru suddenly became uneasy.

Silas can't consider Gru as their suspect, or at least not yet!

He doesn't have any evidence to prove his accusation against the ex-villain. And if he does, that won't be enough.

Silas walked at the other edge part of the table and went to the two large seats where his agents sat earlier. He looked at the folders that are placed on the table where Lucy and Gru left behind.

Silas picked up the folder with Felix's files. He scanned through the pages and stopped to the page where Felix's picture taped on it.

Lucy is right. **He does resemble a lot like her husband.**

Though there are some obvious physical differences between Gru and Felix, like Felix's hair is dark and shoulder-length and his eerie green eyes, there are so many features that looked exactly the same.

Their long pointy nose, their barrel-shaped body, their long thin limbs and also their facial features, both of Felix and Gru looked the same!

Silas couldn't help but to think, **does Gru have any involvement with this Felix?**

Judging by the way Gru acted lately, Silas thought that his suspicions might be true. After all, Gru is sly and devious when he was a villain, and despite his change of heart, he still has that rude villain personality.

And just like all villains, **they can't be trusted.**

Just then, he glanced around their huge glass window with the wide ocean view.

Different kinds of fishes and marine creatures swim across the vast blue sea and among them is Lucy's car (which was transformed into a miniature submarine) swimming away from the AVL's underwater department.

Silas puts down his folders and watched as Lucy's submarine swims further across the ocean with her dual water motors behind her trunk. Silas can't see Gru due to the back position of that small submarine, but he has the feeling that he's watching him from behind.

 **Does Gru have any involvement with this Felix?** Silas thought to himself again. Gru's behavior lately is so suspicious, especially when they mentioned Felix almost from every sentence.

As Lucy's submarine slowly disappears into the distances, his butler came to his side and called him, "There is something you need to see, sir…"

Silas moves away from the window and followed his butler, the he found himself in one of the researcher's cubicle from the research department.

Silas leaned over to the operator's monitor and showed him a video on his screen. It's a rare security video footage inside the head of the Statue of Liberty itself before the beheading.

The robbers may have deleted the videos at the Manhattan bank but seemed like they forgot to delete the security videos inside the top room inside of the head of the Statue of Liberty itself.

And to his shock, the video shows Gru's three minions **Kevin, Bob and Stuart** fixing the bombs and also connecting the wires to a box-shaped bomb switch.

Just as Silas thought, **Gru can never be trusted...**

 **END OF CHAPTER FOUR**

 **Next Chapter:** Gru and Lucy are now on a mysterious case of investigating Felix Grudgeman. But why is Gru isn't with Lucy? What else will they find out inside that Paradise mall? Find out in **Chapter Five: Hardly Human**


	6. Hardly Human

**CHAPTER FIVE: HARDLY HUMAN**

The Paradise Mall is located a few kilometers away from the residential area itself.

It's a large shopping district built within a giant glass dome. Inside of it, the place is a two-story building full of stores, shops and dining areas. Customers flocked the mall, shopping, dining and having a great time.

The mall is slightly decorated with bat-shaped paper clips hanging around each store, pumpkins with different kinds of craved faces displayed from almost every corner of the mall itself. Even a life-size figure of toy skeletons and witches were displayed near the entrance of the mall, making it an attraction for visitors.

It is the month of October and also the month the much-awaited celebration of the year: **Halloween.**

The mall has already installed bargain sale in some of its stores, most especially candy stores, costume stores, gift shops, supermarkets and so on.

In the other corner of the ground floor, a cupcake shop in pastel pink with a huge sign board above entrance called **BAKE MY DAY** stands quietly, waiting for customers to come in and take some of its sweet delicacies.

Inside its kitchen, two of Gru's minions, Kevin and Bob, are preparing Halloween-themed cupcakes. **Kevin was done decorating a cupcake that looked like a Halloween pumpkin** , made of sweet orange-frost with tiny dark chocolate pieces that shaped like a pair of eyes and mouth and a green, vine-like sugar mallows poked at the top for the pumpkin's stem.

Before Kevin could proudly show this to Bob, Kevin screamed in fright at by Bob's cupcake design.

 **Bob had just decorated his cupcake inspired by an Evil Minion**. Purple frosting covered the small cake and a thick stash of purple-dyed sponge sugar poked at its top for the hair. The eyes are made out of hardened white sugar with frozen blueberry icing at the middle for the pupil, around the eyes is a long thick line of black sugar-coated jelly for its goggle strap, and for the finishing touch: a black frozen icing drew across the face of the purple-skinned cupcake and with a pair of pointy white hardened sugar for the fangs.

" **Good, no?"** Bob asked Kevin, his uneven eye color of green and brown gleamed with pride.

Kevin is still shivering in shock. Until now, he couldn't forget the time when they were all injected a serum called **PX-41** , an adrenaline-enhancing drug that would generate an awful mutation both physically and mentally.

The usual physical effect of the serum is that your body with grow purple fur and also your hair with get the mutation by turning into purple and enlarge the thickness of your hair.

The psychological effect is that the subconscious will somewhat takes you over and you will act like a primitive, mindless savage that destroys anything and anyone without even thinking twice.

Kevin couldn't even remember what happened during his mutation, but all he could recall was that he himself felt totally unconscious but its body is somewhat had a mind of its own. Even the way he thinks seemed terrible, confusing and violent at the same time, and he couldn't control it.

It felt like he's being possessed by an evil spirit, **an evil-generating serum, that is!**

And he bet everyone who met the same fate as he did felt the same thing when they were under the influence of that serum.

"Eh…." Kevin began. He doesn't want to upset Bob, the small minion is too sensitive to hear bad criticism.

But he has to admit: That Halloween cupcake sure brought him chills under his spine, **which is good because that's what Halloween is all about: Chills, horror and fright!**

"Eh Si, Si…. Ahaha Bravo! (Eh yes, yes…. Ahaha Bravo!)" Kevin compliments him and clapped his hand.

Bob smiled and thanked his friend, which he considers as his older brother. The two minions took their cupcakes and want to show it to Lucy.

As they came out of the pantry, they saw Lucy pacing around the shop. Her ear is on her cell phone and seems to have a serious conversation.

"But that's impossible…" Lucy frowned at her phone, "Gru can never do such thing…"

Bob and Kevin exchanged blank looks.

" **No, Mr. Silas…"** she answered again, her voice sounded deep. "Like you said, we can't blame on someone unless we have evidence…"

Lucy stopped pacing for a while and listened to her phone. Her expression got even more confused and stared back at Kevin and Bob.

Kevin had a terrible feeling about this. Is this something to do with Gru hiring Felix?

Bob gulped as he stared frightfully at Lucy.

The tall, turquoise-dressed woman walks across the shop, passing Kevin and Bob.

"Look, Mr. Silas…" Lucy started again, she stopped in front of her store window with cupcakes displayed in its wide glass container. "Even if you have that video, **it's still not enough to proof that Gru is with that Felix…"**

Bob and Kevin gasped silently at each other. Their eyes widened by shock.

 **The AVL knows about them? Alredy?!**

Lucy groaned at her phone. "Look, mister!" she stressed, "I know you don't trust Gru, but please stop making stories out of my…"

She stopped for a moment, and then she hissed: "Then, go out and proved it… I know Gru is innocent and he will not work with that crazy four-eyed villain!"

After that, she quickly hung up her cell phone and puts her hand on her tired eyes.

Mr. Silas just called her on the phone, telling her about his suspicions on Gru. After seeing the surveillance video, he quickly contacted Lucy and warned her that her husband might be working with this Felix person.

Lucy, of course, doesn't want to believe it. She knows from the start that her boss isn't approve of trusting Gru as their newest agent, which is why it is so hard for her to tolerate that kind of information.

Silence caught the air for a moment when Kevin motioned to Bob to come back to the pantry.

If Mr. Silas had found out about them, it's no wonder why he would contact Lucy and tell her about his husband's partnership with the guy.

But before they could go, Lucy called them.

"Kevin, Bob…" she said as she is still facing the window.

The two minions stopped at the kitchen door and stared at Lucy.

Then, she spun around and faced them. "Where were you yesterday?" she asked, her emerald green eyes stared blankly at them.

Lucy noticed Bob's hands shaking. His evil-minion cupcake shakes until almost every sweet decoration falls off.

Kevin appeared before Bob, protecting him from Lucy's stare. But before Kevin could speak, the store door swung opened and the tiny bell hanging over the door ranged.

Lucy and the two minions glanced to their customers.

" **Hellooooooooo, Lucy Deary!"** Jillian greeted gleefully. She walked towards Lucy and gave her a hug.

"Oh hey there, Jillian…" Lucy greeted her back.

Lucy knows about this woman. Gru once told her that when he was still single, this woman always bothers him by giving him some random girls to date with. One of them were a Natalie, a tanned woman with giant front teeth, a dark bushy witch-like hair and **a face that looked like a donkey rather a human being.**

Another one was her cousin, Shannon, she is a very thin woman and her personality is a little rude, fierce and **awfully a fashionista-type.** Her long blond-hair drapes almost half of her yellow leopard-printed dress. Her scarlet-red lips were really thick **and quiet of a blabber-mouth.** Also, her face is as long and pointy as a knife.

Those were the last people who he dated with before meeting his real love interest, which Lucy felt lucky about it.

Then, Jillian appeared to her two minions beside her, "Hey, you cute little munchkins…" she greeted them with a smile, patting Bob on his bald head.

" _ **Jillian seemed a little happy today"**_ Kevin thought in surprise. They rarely see Jillian at this cherry mood before.

"Oh, Lucy…" Jillian turned to her, suddenly realizing something, "Sorry for popping in here all of a sudden, **but I need one of your bestselling cupcake and a medium-sized brewed coffee for takeout please…"**

"Umm, sure…" Lucy said. She ordered her minions to look for the best tasting cupcakes on their fridge while Lucy went behind the counter, preparing for her customer's coffee.

Lucy heard a loud sigh from Jillian. The short-haired Blondie rested her head at her hands on the counter, her eyes stares tenderly out of nowhere, a love-struck smile across her face.

"I know that look…" Lucy smiled, putting a card-broad cup under her automatic coffee brewer.

"The what?" Jillian snapped back from her trance.

" **You're in love, are you?"** Lucy smirked, almost teasing.

Jillian looked confuse at first, but then she got her point and sighed dreamily, **"Ooooh… He's just so handsome and dreamy…"** she almost sang her words.

"Really?" Lucy smiled by just looking at her, Jillian seemed so awfully in love with this person.

" _Glad to see her finally got in love…"_ Lucy thought to herself, relieved to see that the once pesky matchmaker is finally meeting her own love match.

After putting the lid on the coffee cup, Lucy carefully handed it to Jillian. "So what was he like?" Lucy asked, curious.

"Well, he's gorgeous and handsome and so out-of-this-world…" Jillian described him with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Wow, he must be quiet a charmer…" Lucy added, imagining how charming her crush would be.

"Not only that, his looks so European… and he speak one too, his accent is so down-to-this-earth…" Jillian sighed in affection. "He dressed up so well, his personality is strong and confident, **and his coat smells like peppermint!"**

Lucy smiled weirdly, Jillian is really crazy over this new crush of hers. She even knows his type of perfume scent!

" **His hair so dark as the night, his eyes of emerald green and his powerful personality…"** Jillian said dramatically in love.

Lucy rolled her eyes. Jillian is starting to look weird about this love thing that Lucy is getting enough of it.

"Okay, okay…" Lucy said, breaking Jillian's love-struck breakdown. "So what's the name of the guy?"

"Felix…" Jillian sighed tenderly, **"Felix Amadeus Grudgeman…"**

Lucy's eyes widened and her face dropped by surprised, **"Felix?!"** she said, shocked. "You're in love with-"

" **Oh my God, there he is…"** Jillian ignored her and ran towards her shop window.

Lucy followed her and stared out of the window as well.

At the fountain area, as the vertical water fountain subsided, **Felix Grudgeman appeared in the view,** walking across the mall with his black walking stick. His black hair is slightly combed back but has bedraggled curls at the end,

His face resembles much of Gru's, except that his skin were all pale as death, his golden-framed glasses suits well on his pure green eyes, even his coat and vest were all in pure green.

Lucy has to admit: Felix does look like a real gentleman. Despite his slightly hunchback posture, he does know how to walk like an English noble, or maybe because his black cane with a golden tip is the one **that brings a British-like element in him.** His expression likes very serious and professional-like.

Lucy and Jillian stared at their window and watched the green-suited villain walked across the fountain area and went to the elevator. Lucy observes him as Felix readjust his white ascot around his white-collared neck.

" _Why is he here?"_ Lucy asked her thoughts. _"Was it because of the head of Statue of Liberty is still in here?"_

Lucy glanced at Jillian with sparkles in her eyes, "Isn't he stunning?" she sighed lovingly.

" **Stunning?! Dangerous is more like it!"** Lucy protested, she couldn't believe that the person Jillian is crazy about is the main suspect of the terror attack in New York City.

"I know, right?" Jillian agreed with her. Felix does have that bad, dangerous side of him, **which seemed awfully attractive for her.**

"No, I mean he's terribly dangerous…" Lucy warned her, her eyes stared seriously on hers. "Do you have any idea who he is?"

"Of course I do!" Jillian smiled, "He's Felix. A respectable English artist who came all the way here to express his talent…"

"Jillian, That Felix is the guy who broke down the Statue of Liberty yesterday…" Lucy blurted out, "He's a dangerous villain and…"

" **Of course I know he's a villain…"** Jillian admitted, "I was there in the Ellis island…"

Lucy looked stunned again, "You were there…. at the Ellis Island?" Lucy recalled back her thoughts at their AVL meeting lately, Felix was there at that island, pretending to be their guest speaker for the Statue of Liberty anniversary.

"Yes, dear…" Jillian answered sarcastically and rolled her eyes. "me and Shannon were just taking a tour in there when **that mysteriously gorgeous man** came in and…"

"Jillian, you don't understand…" Lucy stressed out, her expression frowned at her. "He's no t the guy you thought he is, **he's a villain with no heart** and he can used you for his evil plans…"

Jillian gave a cute but confuse smile, **"what's so evil by just putting up an art store across the mall?"**

Now it's Lucy turn to look confused, "Excuse me, a what?"

"Felix just put a business," Jillian explained, " **he stood up an art gallery just across this mall**. Today is his grand opening and I don't want to miss it out…"

" _An art store? In this mall?"_ Lucy thought, _**"No wonder he's here…"**_

Before her thoughts gets deeper, the two minions approaches to Jillian and Kevin handed her a small pink box with a cupcake she ordered.

"Thanks for the cupcake, dear…" Jillian said, pulling out her wallet from her shoulder bag and pulled out ten dollars, "Keep the change, Lucy Dear…" she said.

Lucy took the cash and watched Jillian takes her cupcake box from Kevin and went to the door.

But before Jillian goes out, Lucy called on to her.

"Wait…" she said, "You're going to that Felix's art store, are you?"

"Yeah, why do you asked?" Jillian asked, curious.

"Well…" Lucy tucked her white polka-dotted scarf around her neck and cleared her throat.

" **Is it okay if I come with?"**

* * *

As she rides the elevator with Jillian to the mall's second floor, Lucy watched over her two minions inside her cupcake shop.

Kevin and Bob looked like they are talking to each other. She can't seem to hear or translate the mumbling movements of their mouths, but the way they talked, moves and glanced to each other, their conversation seem to be pretty serious.

She remembered Silas saying something about the surveillance video he saw at the Statue of Liberty's top floor. Kevin, Bob and Stuart were in that video, assembling the bombs inside that room itself.

Until now, Lucy couldn't believe of all his allegations, most especially that Gru is somewhat involve in the crime.

Lucy knows that her director doesn't trust him much. But putting accusations like that is way too far.

 _Gru can't just let his minions get into Felix's case…_ she thought, _Maybe if I get a closer look at this Felix guy,_ _ **I'll get proof that he's wrong…**_

"And then, he said **"You might want to look closely on my painting… there is something you should know from there…"** Oh, the way he say it is so down-to-earth…" Jillian sighed dreamily as she describes how "divinely handsome" this villain is to her.

Lucy just rolled her eyes. She is been blabbing about this handsome British villain on how he almost held them hostages back at the Ellis island and how he knocked down the Museum manager with one blow.

"Oh, by the way…" Jillian turns to Lucy, "Thanks for coming along with me, Shannon doesn't want to come with me on seeing him, and I don't know why…"

"No prob…" Lucy replied. But then she thought, if Jillian is been talking about this Felix for so many times, **no matter Shannon isn't with her.**

The two finally reached the second floor. Jillian excitedly walked across the floor and went to Felix's art store.

Lucy looked up, surprised. **His art store is the same place where Eduardo's Mexican restaurant used to be.** Lucy recalled in her mind that right after the arrest of El Macho, his Salsa-salsa restaurant was immediately closed down by the AVL for further investigation, and soon was officially removed by the local management under the request of the same organization.

And now, everything changed.

His red restaurant building **is all changed by grayish-bricked walls** , the same look as the Norte Dame church in Paris.

His life-sized bull mannequin that used to stick out of this restaurant is **now replaced by a life-sized white marble angel;** her back is braced against its wall, making her almost like floating above the entrance, her three pairs of wings spread widely behind her perfectly sculptured body that were molded in a highly dramatic position, her beautiful face looked down blankly on her.

The tall Mexican window above her is now replaced by **a rounded rose window with different frames of colorful stained glasses.**

The giant Mexican-inspired door is now replaced by **dark ebony doors with renaissance-themed cravings all over it.** At the side of it is a giant rose wreath displayed by a three bamboo stands with a white sash with the words: **Grand Opening.**

And the sign where the named "Salsa-Salsa" is now renamed in semi-gothic lettering: **HONOUR THY ART**

Lucy gulped. This place doesn't look so friendly. It's like entering in a haunted house rather than an art gallery.

She wished that Gru was here. He's the brave one to see this kind of creepiness, but only this time, he can't come due to some business.

 _ **How could he have a more important errand than this?!**_ She thought, wishing desperately that he's here to calm down her fears.

Jillian turned around and noticed Lucy stood there, frightened. She went to her and grabbed her arm.

"Come on, Lucy… we can't stand there all day…" Jillian said as she pulls her to the grand ebony doors.

Lucy is even more stunned by the inside. The place is completely renovated into an old 14th century style.

The ceilings are completely redesigned into high arcs with a heavy gothic theme. **A huge beautiful two-layered crystal chandelier with electrical candles hangs magnificently on it.**

Each windows of the place were made out of stained glass with blood red curtains all over them.

The main hall from which the restaurant tables used to be were all replaced by Felix's artworks. Statues, canvas, cravings, almost every corner is displayed with Felix's dark-themed artworks.

Felix's gothic-themed art gallery is flocked with people, the simple and the rich, the amateurs and the professionals, the open-minded and the critiques, all different people are inside this very building.

Lucy noticed that almost everyone in this room has tall glasses of sparkling wine.

Jillian is glancing around, desperate to see her villain crush. "Oh, where is he?"

Then, before she could glance some more, **a soothing sound of piano begins to fill the air.** It caught the people's attention and gathered at other side of the room.

Curious, Lucy and Jillian followed and made their way to the front row of the crowd. The people gathered around a wide stage that Eduardo used to dance around when the place was still his.

The Mexican dessert stage wall was repainted into a replica painting of Italian artists Raphael and Giulio Romano's **Fire in the Borgo.**

On the stage itself, everything was removed and replaced by a beautiful grand piano with a golden three-handled candle displayed on top, making it more attractive.

And behind its keyboard, **Felix sat properly on his seat** , his fingerless-gloved hands plays around its keys, making a beautiful and mysterious music of **Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.**

Lucy observed him, rather a bit stunned. It still surprised her seeing a villain with the same looks of her husband, his hunched-backed, barrel-shape body, his long skinny limbs and his long beak-size nose is very identical to Gru, except for his black shaggy shoulder-length hair with sideburns on his both sides, his golden-rimmed glasses on his brilliant green eyes and his pale white complexion.

But his Gru-alike appearance is only one thing, her main concern is Silas' suspicion on Gru and Felix. **Does these guys ever worked together at all?**

Felix seemed to enjoy his music, a gentle smile crept across his face and as he listens beautifully on his vivid piano piece.

But his eyes glanced at his side, noticing a familiar face among the crowd.

Lucy blinked as she noticed Felix is staring at her, even if Felix's eyes are on her, he continues playing his piano without pressing any wrong keys.

Then, he glanced back on his piano and continues his piece.

"Oh my gosh! He's looking at me…" Jillian gasped excitedly to Lucy.

 _ **I hope he is…**_ Lucy thought, Felix's stare with a smile on his face is really creeping her out.

After three minutes of his amazing piano recital, Felix finished with a relaxed sigh and bowed before his audience.

The crowd clapped and cheered: "Bravo! Amazing! Well-done…"

Felix thanked them with a smile and glanced back at the Lucy who again noticed him again staring at her.

 _ **Not those eyes again!**_ Lucy complained in her thoughts, his stare is like he got death-related plans over her!

Lucy shivered, she couldn't take another look on Felix's weird smile and stare, she got so creep out that she backed away from the crowd and begun to ran across the gallery.

 _I think I'll just investigate this Gru-works-with-Felix thing later on…_ Lucy told herself, perhaps investigating Felix alone is not the best idea she had, she needs her ever-dependable husband to help her deal with this scary villain.

She is about to reach the door when suddenly, Jillian appeared, blocking her way, "Lucy, where are you…"

Shocked, Lucy lost her control and knocked Jillian off-balance. Both of them toppled to the floor, the brewed coffee and cupcake that Jillian carries spilled everywhere including on their own selves.

" **Awww, Look what you've done!"** Jillian complained to Lucy, her short-blonde hair is covered with white cupcake icing and a huge coffee stains all over her golden-striped shirt.

"What have I done?! **You just popped out of nowhere…"** Lucy protested, half of the cupcake is on her face while some of her brewed coffee stains on her turquoise dress.

"Well, you ran over me like a train…" Jillian pointed out, "Now, how will Felix love me if I'm like this?!"

" **He won't!"** Lucy blurted, she grabbed Jillian's shoulder and stare at her with her serious eyes.

"You don't get it, Jillian! Felix is a villain… he doesn't know what love is!"

"Is there something wrong, my ladies?" a calm voice said behind in his British accent.

Lucy and Jillian glanced around and saw Felix is in green suit; his eyes stared blankly at them, probably confused on what's going on his art gallery.

Even the crowd behind stared at them, surprise of their commotion.

 **Lucy noticed Felix carrying a fire extinguisher in his right hand.**

"Felix, Dah-ling!" Jillian broke out of Lucy's hold and jumped next to Felix.

"I'm so glad you came…" Jillian hugged Felix's arm, acting as a damsel in distress.

Felix made a frown and curled his lips, annoyed.

"Everything was just fine **until SHE ruined everything!"** Jillian pointed her finger on Lucy who is still sitting on the floor with spilled coffee and spoiled cupcake all around her.

"It's all her fault! All I want is to surprise you with some treats and she ran over me and…" Jillian kept ob blabbing the blame on Lucy when Felix suddenly spoke up.

" **Bloody heck!** What happened to you?" Felix exclaimed and looked at Jillian in disgust. "You looked like a horrid coffee-cupcake beggar…"

" **She did this to me!"** Jillian blamed Lucy again, trying to look like a desperate victim to Felix.

Felix stared at Lucy again, which stunned her again in fright.

Then, he glanced at Jillian at his side, "What a pitiful woman…" he said to her, he lifted up his fire extinguisher, pulled out its hose and clipped open its knob.

" **You don't deserve this kind of fate…"** Felix said to her, compassionately.

"Oh, Felix…" Jillian sighed, her copper-brown eyes sparkled with love as she gazed up at her dream guy with his sympathy smile.

"Here…" Felix said and points the hose at Jillian.

" **Let me clean up that mess around you!"** Felix smiled deviously and clicked open the fire extinguisher.

Jillian burst out of the doorway as Felix sprayed some more white froth-like liquid out of the fire extinguisher.

Even though Jillian slipped and knocked down on the floor, Felix continues to spray more white chemical goo on her until he empties the entire container.

The white liquid of the fire extinguisher ran out and Felix gazes on his victim, completely covered in white frothy goo.

Jillian stood up groggily and looked around her, she found herself outside of the art gallery itself, and not for long, a group of shoppers who were passing by saw her and stared.

"Jillian?" one of the shoppers recognized her.

The froth-covered Jillian heard her and saw her cousin, Shannon, who is shopping in a nearby store.

Shannon looked shocked while the other shoppers laughed at her.

" **Hey, checked it out: AN ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN!"** a guy named Fred burst out laughing.

Everyone let out roars of laughter, teasing her from head to foot.

Even Felix couldn't stop snickering, **"Hey, Snow Blob!"** he called her, she glanced at him with her sad teary eyes, "The next time you enter my gallery, make sure you're fire-extinguish proof… **NOW, SCRAM!"**

Jillian gasped in shocked. She never knew that her average dream guy would be the most horrible bully she could ever see, and he didn't even spray that white gooey thing on Lucy who also part of the commotion.

The broken-hearted Jillian ran away with tears pouring out of her eyes, white trails of frothy goo oozed out of her as she runs.

" **Jillian, wait!"** her cousin, Shannon called her but she didn't even look back.

The angry Shannon turned to Felix at his doorway, "What did you do to her?!"

"Shut your trap and go chase your snow blob…" Felix answered her back, **"She might jump out of the mall or something…"**

Shannon glared at him, what a horrible heartless person this guy is!

But she just groaned in response and chased after her cousin who disappeared out of sight.

Lucy is still sitting on the floor with coffee and cupcake stains all over her. Her eyes looked pitifully on Jillian who just ran away from the gallery until she disappeared while Shannon went after her.

She also looked stunned as she gazed on Felix throwing aside the empty fire extinguisher. She knows that this Felix is ruthless as a villain but she never thought that he can a lot worse as a normal person.

Before she could get up, a fingerless-glove hand grabbed her arm and pulled her up. Lucy looked up and saw Felix Grudgeman helped her from her accident. She stared at him, stunned.

"Excuse me for the little show back there…" he apologized, " **But I thank you for that accident** , I've been waiting for the perfect moment to get rid of her personally…"

Felix flashed a smile that seemed very gentle, but Lucy is not buying it! After all she saw back there, this guy is not a very friendly type.

"Oh, but I didn't mean to hit her…" Lucy explained as she follows Felix back inside the gallery. "Actually, I was about to leave and she just popped in front of me and I hit her, It's all an accident…"

" **Oh yes, I know…"** Felix said, he went near **a built-in bar** which is placed at the corner of the gallery near the entrance. He grabbed two wine glasses and a bottle of champagne.

"And she actually blames you for crime… I hate it when she came to me and blames you for it when I actually saw the whole thing…" Felix said as he poured the champagne into the glasses.

"Well, I…" Lucy stammered, it's true that Jillian is real jerk especially on impressing her crush. No wonder Gru hates her so much; she's annoying and a liar at the same time.

But then Lucy thought something strange, how come Felix acted so casually to a stranger like herself? He never knew her yet and he's behaving as if she's not his enemy at all, he even saved her from public humiliation from Jillian.

But then, she remembered that this villain had stolen El Macho's magnet ship from their headquarters. **Does that mean he knows about its workers too?**

Lucy felt shiver into her spine, maybe the reason why Felix is being so nice to her is because he's after her and the AVL!

He can use her as hostage to persuade the Anti-Villain League and her husband, Gru, to surrender. Almost the same tactic when El Macho held her hostage to lead Gru into his trap.

 _Oh man, what'll I do?!_ The overly-tensed Lucy thought. She can't just leave the gallery at easily, Felix is on her back now and it's not that easy getting out from his sight.

 _ **If Gru was here, he'll know what to do…**_ she thought in desperation, where was her husband when she really needs him?

"You seemed disturbed…" Felix's voice interrupted her thoughts; he holds two glasses of champagne in both hands.

"Oh, sorry about that…" Lucy smiled nervously, "I just got a little headache back here…"

"Then, have some refreshment to relax yourself…" Felix offered her a champagne glass while he held on his at his other hand.

"Thanks…"Lucy replied as she took the glass. _Stay calm, Lucy…_ she thought to herself, she remembered that she is here to investigate Felix. If this villain did know her and her organization then perhaps she's got the latest scoop to report.

" **Um… To your successful grand opening…"** she announced, she held up her glass reluctantly and make a toss with Felix's.

Felix remained silent and just smiled. Lucy looked up, his warm smile is as gentle as Gru's. Why is these people looked so alike?

As they gulped down their drinks, a very short man, about three feet tall, went beside Felix.

"Mr. Grudgeman…" the short fancy haired man called him, his accent is more of an Asian-type.

Felix glanced back and sighed. "Excuse me, my lady…" he said to Lucy and placed his empty wine glass at the nearby table. He spun around and welcomed his tiny friend.

" **Ah, Floyd Eaglesan…"** Felix greeted him, Floyd is a very short man with his blonde fancy-style hair and a long mustache inspired by Chinese-emperor style. He even wears a green **cheongsam** , a Chinese robe worn by men in ancient times.

Lucy looked down on Floyd as they talk. She remembered him when she and Gru investigate him by entering his wig shop called **EAGLE HAIR CLUB** and find a small trace of the serum PX-41, and she got to admit Gru did an awfully good but humiliating job on finding it.

"I would like to welcome you into our mall family…" Floyd smiled to their newbie store-owner, Lucy glanced over and noticed him that he's hiding something behind his back, probably a welcome gift for Felix.

Felix looked down at him and smiled back, "and I appreciate your presence here, **thank you for coming…"**

"Aw don't mention it, my friend…" Floyd replied, slightly embarrassed by Felix's generous thanks. "By the way, it's been our tradition to offer gifts for our newest member of this mall…"

Then, he moved his arms from his back and reveals his present to Felix.

Felix looked down blankly as Floyd handed him his welcome gift: **a dark beautifully-fashioned wig packed neatly in a transparent zip-lock bag.**

"It's one of my finest wigs…" Floyd said, his copper-brown eyes gleamed with pride. "I rarely give that for free, **I consider it as a trophy of my success.** Please keep this as a memento of our mall friendship…"

Lucy, who was standing behind Felix, noticed something on him. Felix's hands begin to shiver, clutching tightly on the plastic bag of the wig. Then, she slowly moves beside him and saw his expression: Felix's smile disappeared and his face darkened.

Lucy gulped. **It's even scarier to see Felix in an angry look.** His bushy eyebrows meet and his eyes narrowed, giving a serious glare. His nostrils grew and his teeth clenched behind his curled lips.

Floyd noticed this and smiled some more. "I know, remarkable, isn't it?" he said proudly, thinking that Felix is somewhat stunned over his gift. "People were **quite speechless** every time they see this kind of wig, I told you it's one of my finest…."

" **Or just a worthless piece of fur…"** Felix hissed, angrily.

"Excuse me…" Floyd said, confused.

" **Have you learned the meaning of common sense?"** Felix glared down at the short man, which made Floyd a little tensed.

"I…I… Well, I…" Floyd stammered as he smiled nervously at him.

"Well, let me tell you…" Felix said, his narrowed eyes locked on Floyd. "I bet you're not that blind on how you looked at me…"

Floyd begins to stepped back, Felix followed him.

" **It's obvious I got a dark hair on my head…"** Felix marched on and the poor little Floyd stared at him in fear. "So why, of all the things you can give me, **would you give me this bloody thing as a gift?!"**

Lucy looked around her, Felix's loud voice is attracting the crowd behind him.

"I… I'm sorry…." Floyd begged for an apology, his voice shaken "I didn't know you would hate wigs so much…."

" **YOU MICROSCOPIC SIMPLETON!"** Felix yelled. Lucy gasped and so does the crowd behind her. Felix is sure has a short-temper on this guy.

Felix raised the packed wig and threw it over Floyd, who almost knocked him off-balance.

"Your common sense is so small than your height…" Felix scowled him, "The next time you see me, better show off some few respect **because your ignorance is far from normal!"**

"Mr. Felix, please…" Floyd begged again, sweat beaded all over his face. "I…I believe you're overreacting…"

"You disappoint me, Mr. Eaglesan…" Felix replied, talking like an upset British professional. "I invited you here in my grand opening and this is what you will repay me: **a wig that I never actually need?!"**

Lucy looked at him, confuse. Felix seemed to be taking this matter too personally. It's just a wig, why would Felix be so upset with just a simple wig?

"Look, I understand how upset you are…" Floyd tries to calm him down, his hands were shaking as he carries his beloved wig like a child. "M-maybe…maybe I can give you a much better wig… a shimmering white one will suit you…"

Felix had enough of Floyd's ignorance. He grabbed his black walking stick in his umbrella holder, clutch its golden handle and pull it upward.

To Lucy and the crowd's surprise, Felix pulled out a long shiny blade out of his black walking stick.

 **He's got a sword, cleverly disguised British-styled walking stick!**

Felix pointed his weapon at Floyd's little nose. "Leave my gallery now…" he ordered, **"Or I won't hesitate to give you a shave…"**

Terrified, the panic Floyd flees out of the doors of his gallery and speeded away.

Lucy and the crowd behind her watched in shock as Felix returns his sword back to its black stick-like sheath, and went back to be his normal walking stick.

"What are you all looking at?" Felix glared back at his crowd.

The group of people noticed his glare and one by one, the people went back observing at his artworks with fear flashing in their eyes.

Lucy couldn't believe what she just saw. She never thought that Felix can be this cruel in and out of his villain state. He awfully humiliated Jillian by spraying fire extinguisher liquids on her and now, he scared away Floyd with his walking stick that turns out to be his sword. What else can this Felix can do?

The villain saw her reaction and turns to her. Felix cleared his throat, "Pardon my behavior…" he said to her, "I just can't tolerate ignorance…"

"I…I…." Lucy struggled for words, or at least, **being mindful of her words.** Felix seemed to be a very ill-tempered fellow, one misused word and he might strike her with his sword.

"I… I have to go…" Lucy said immediately, she couldn't take another stay with this person any longer.

This person, this Felix, is hardly human at all! He acts like a bully who loves to see people getting hurt by him, **like a crazy sadistic psycho.**

She quickly placed her wine glass at a nearby table and briskly walked away.

Felix watched her as she walks out of the door, **"We will meet again, my lady…"** was all he said as a goodbye.

Lucy didn't mind him and just went out of the door. Finally, she's out of that gallery. She felt completely relieved when she found right outside of Felix's art gallery, customers walking at other directions and shopping for items for the Halloween holiday.

Lucy pulled out her phone in her pocket and dialed her husband's number. "Gru got to know this…" he said to herself. Even though he's not with her, she still considers him as her partner.

And partners should know each other's businesses especially that have something to do with their investigation.

She placed her cell phone to her ear and waited for Gru to answer it, but his cell phone just kept ringing. "C'mon, pick up…" Lucy muttered, impatiently.

Just as she went to the escalator that moves downward, a familiar ringtone sounded a few feet behind.

"That ringtone…" Lucy recognized it, **that's Gru's cell phone ringtone!**

 _Gru was here?!_ She thought, surprised. All she knows that he's out, doing some few errands. If it's true that Gru was here all along then that's a bad and a good thing: Bad, because she lied to her on doing his errands outside the mall and good, because she could use a little help with this investigation.

She is now at the middle of the moving escalator when she glanced back to look for her husband. She looked at the second floor balcony beside the escalator,

And to her shock: Felix stood there, looking down at a familiar cell phone in his cold hand, ringing in a familiar tone.

 _Is that Gru's cell phone?!_ She thought, stunned. _**Now how did that thing handed up with Felix?!**_

Lucy gazed on Felix in shock, her phone is still in her ear as she listens to its ringtone. Felix looked up to Lucy as she went down the escalator, then he looks down at Gru's ringing cell phone, thinking that maybe he should answer it.

The stunned Lucy had already reached the ground floor when Felix finally answered her call,

" **I said we will meet again… not call me…"** Felix answered jokingly.

Lucy is even more stunned, she been waiting for Gru's call, just to find out that his cell phone is with the prime suspect all along.

"How…?" she stammered in fright, she return her gaze on Felix who is still at the second floor balcony with Gru's phone on his ear.

"How did you got his phone? **What did you do with my Gru?!"** she said to her phone, furiously.

"Chillax, my dear…" Felix answered her at the line with a smirk on his face. "I didn't do anything to Gru, alright?"

"Then, how did you have his phone?" she demanded, "You better tell me where he is or I'll…"

"Or what? **You'll get your pathetic AVL troops to get me?!"** Felix interrupted her, mocking her.

Lucy left her heart stopped; she never mentioned anything about the AVL lately, how did Felix learn about it? **Or he already did?**

"Yes, Agent Lucy Gru-Wilde… **I know who you are…"** Felix muttered, his face darkened with a serious frown.

He waited for Lucy respond but she just standing down there, looking at him as if she saw a ghost.

"I know everything about you…" Felix continued, "Your job, your family, **your husband, most especially…"**

"He is quite a good man, but sometimes a good man should know how to be bad…"

 _ **Good man should be what?**_ She thought, confused. Lucy looked up and said on the phone: "What are you talking about?"

She watched Felix who is still standing at the second floor balcony, he pinched this nose bridge and sighed.

"Perhaps I said too much…" he replied, "I will not tell you how your husband's phone got here, but it's too early to tell you my villain occupation and my sinister plans, let's save it for the good times…"

And by that, Felix moves Gru's phone away from his ear and clicked: **"End Call"**

The stunned Lucy slowly moves away her from her ear with shaking hands, her shocked eyes still locked up at Felix at the second floor, with a cryptic smile across his face and the rim light gleamed on his greenish eyes due to the sunlight behind him.

 **END OF CHAPTER FIVE**

 **Next Chapter:**

" _You don't scare me with those pathetic little eyes…_

 _I'm financially powerful, I can make your life a living hell if you just…"_

" _ **Actually, sir… You already did…"**_

" _I beg your pardon?!"_

" _All my life I've done the best I could to gain your trust, but now I realized I've doing the same old bonkers_ _ **without gaining anything!"**_

Gru pays a visit with the Bank of Evil. But what made Gru acted so violently towards Mr. Perkins? And how will Dr. Nefario reacts on Lucy's recent discoveries between Gru and Felix? All that in **Chapter Six: Suspicion**


	7. Suspicion

**CHAPTER SIX: SUSPICION**

Mr. Perkins checked his wristwatch: **7:30 pm**

"Gru… late again…." He groaned.

Mr. Perkins leaned over on his large chair and looked around him. His bank, **The Bank of Evil (formerly Lehman Brothers)** , is one of the most successful villain banks in the world

And you can judge that through its interiors, the Bank of Evil maybe located in a hidden spot inside a random bank of the nearby town, but once you gain access to enter its security systems, you will see the internal glories that the bank has got.

Down at the hallway, marbles pillars with Greek-inspired statues were places between the columns. Each statue portrayed a series of suffering as it tries to carries the pillars above their shoulders, but at the last column, the statue was portrayed being entirely crushed by the pillar itself!

 **This art form shows that the Bank shows no mercy over their victims!** Especially to villains who doesn't know how to pay their bank debts in a right time.

After the hallway is the main lobby, the bank lobby is in complete shades of red and gold, a giant crystal chandelier hangs at the middle of the ceiling, illuminating the entire lobby.

Inside the lobby are the reception desk and two staircases at both corners, and up the staircase leads to the Bank Manager's office where Mr. Perkins currently runs.

His office is in light green walls with his huge painting of his own version of **Napoleon in his Imperial Throne** hanging on it.

Behind his desk is his large iron vault, tightly secured with its giant bolts and security knob at its middle.

Mr. Perkins walked across his office and stared out of his balcony inside the bank. The Bank manager in his blue suit looked around his bank and thought,

That Gru may have got away with his son, Vector who is stuck on the moon, but he won't get away from his bank debts that he refused to pay.

For him, **this is the only thing he can do to avenge his son's defeat.** But somewhat, he felt like this isn't enough to ruin Gru's life. He wants to give his family the same fate as his son.

Speaking of Gru, Mr. Perkins turn his eyes down at the lobby **where he saw Gru walking passed the pillars** and stopped in front of the receptionist. He has a thick dark suitcase in his hand.

Mr. Perkins studied Gru's face, he doesn't like that confident smirk on his face as he talks to the female receptionist.

Just like Ramsbottom, **Perkins has never liked Gru.** Aside that he's the archrival of his nerdy optimistic son, Perkins believes that Gru is somewhat unprofessional of his job as a villain. That bald-headed creep has no chance of becoming the world's greatest villain **because he's too nice and weak-hearted,** and he's got three innocent girls to prove that!

And now, Gru made an appointment with him regarding his bank debts, and to Perkin's great dismay, Gru took the wrong time picking out a time for the meeting.

Mr. Perkins was about to leave his office and go home, but his chance got ruined by Gru's sudden errands with him.

Perkins sighed grimly, _This is going to be a LONG day…_

The intercom beeped on his wide desk, "Mr. Perkins…" his lady receptionist said. "Mr. Felonious is here…"

Perkins took a few seconds to reply. _Felonious…_ he thought, _Gru has no right to be named_ _ **"Felonious"…**_

The Bank manager went to his desk and pressed the button on his intercom, "Send him in…" he sighed.

Mr. Perkins went back to his seat and stared down on his picture frame displayed on his desk. He looked at his photo of his son, Vector, probably in his age of eight, holding a toy shark and stretching it up high like an airplane. The little Vector sat on his father's shoulders. Mr. Perkins and his son looked happy on that photo.

Though he's always seemed cold towards his adult son, he always wants the best for him. In other words, **he still loved his son.** And he will do everything to ruin Gru for taking Vector away from him.

Mr. Perkins heard the creaking of the door and saw Gru entering his office.

Perkins sighed and gave him a cold stare, which Gru didn't noticed.

"Good morning, Mr. Perkins…" the ex-villain greeted him, and looked at his manager.

"Spare me your cherry mood, Gru…" Perkins groaned. "You better give me a good reason why you should make this meeting out before my departure…"

"Of course I got a good reason, sir…" Gru said and went to his desk. He puts his heavy black suitcase on his table and clicked open the lock. Then, Gru lifted the lid and turn the open suitcase in front of Mr. Perkins.

"As I promised to pay, **Two Millions Dollars…"** Gru said with a smirk.

Mr. Perkins looked at the open suitcase filled with thick layers of green cash strapped neatly across at each side of the case.

The manager looked stunned, his tiny eyes widened. Actually, he **NEVER** thought Gru will be able to pay in time. All he wanted is to see him suffer in debts as a payback for taking his son away, but it seemed like Gru found a quick way to get himself out of the mess he caused.

Gru went to his seat at the other side of the desk. "So does that mean I'm free from my debts now?" he sighed with a smile, excited to hear that his debts are officially paid and well taken care of.

Mr. Perkins took a few minutes to reply, his surprised face vanished. **"Actually, no…"** he muttered, almost growling. He shoved away the suitcase at his side.

Gru's smile disappeared as he saw his boss' tiny eyes glared at him.

Mr. Perkins sighed and pulled open his side drawer. "You may have paid your Bank debts, **but you still have one more debt to pay…"**

Gru felt uneasy and sat uncomfortable on his seat. He watches Perkins as he pulled out a red rounded apple from his drawer.

Gru gulped. He remembered the time when Perkins discussed the same money issue and pulled out that same apple. And to picture out his disappointment without any harm, Perkins crushed the apple with his bare hand and told him that once he won't pay his debts sooner, **he'll end up like that crushed apple.**

And now, Perkins is doing the same thing again: Scaring Gru by settling another threat and exampling his anger by destroying an apple.

" **I want my son back…"** he hissed coldly, his huge fingers clench tightly around the apple. The ex-villain looked shocked.

" **Vector?"** Gru confirmed nervously, he heard his boss clearly but sometimes he's hesitant when he heard this, especially if he mentioned something about his son.

Gru knows how this person dislikes him and he needs to be careful with his words. Ever since he registered here as the bank's client, Mr. Perkins showed bitterness on him, with no apparent reason. Obviously, being his son's rival is one thing!

Of course he was villain before, and villains should never fear anything. But when it comes to money business and has to face this huge scary man, Gru should give all the respect he can give despite having a villainous personality.

"I know what you did to him…." Perkins growled, he laid his apple on the desk, stood up from his chair and walked slowly to Gru.

The poor Gru felt his body frozen in fear, he couldn't move out of his chair. Perkins stopped and stood before him, his large shadow dawned over Gru.

"He would become the greatest villain of all times **IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU!"** he boomed, his eyes beamed in anger.

Gru squealed and fell off to his seat, he completely lost his balance and hit the floor. His face frowned in fear and shock.

Frightened, he began to crawl away as Perkins stepped forward.

"He dreamed for all his life to conquer the world, but you ruined his once-in-a lifetime chance… you took him away from me!"

" **I…it's your son's fault!"** Gru stammered, trying to explain his side as calmly as possible. He never wants to upset his manager. "He took hostage of my girls and…"

" **And that's another thing!"** Perkins shot. His large hands grabbed Gru's jacket collar.

Gru could feel his feet leaving the ground as his large, stout boss carried him above on the floor with one hand. Perkins pulled Gru closer to his face.

The terrified Gru started to sweat in fear as Perkins' furious eyes looks directly to his frightened gaze.

"That's another reason why I hated you so much…" Perkins shook his collar, almost like strangling him. "Vector is a lot smarter, stronger than you…. He never lets his emotions get into his way… **BUT YOU…"**

Gru gasped in air, Perkins' hot breath is making him almost breathless. "You're not strong… you let your emotions get into you… You're so weak! Weak enough to show pity on those girls…"

"What?" Gru seemed surprised; no one has ever called him weak before.

"You don't have the right to become a villain, **YOU NEVER HAVE!"**

Mr. Perkins has never acted this violent towards his client. But if this client had taken someone very dear to him, then Perkins has a good reason why he needs to act like that.

"But, I…" Gru struggled for words, but the insults has somewhat caught his tongue.

"You're the most worthless villain I have ever seen… **what kind of villain who puts his family first before conquering the world?!"**

Perkins released his tight grip on Gru's jacket and dropped him on the floor. Gru quickly recovered his composure and looked down, confused.

Perkins sighed. He slowly went back to his table, grabbed his apple and began playing it on his hand.

"You still have one more debt to pay…" Perkins muttered, still toying with his apple. "And this isn't about the bank debts itself…"

"What do you want, then?... **You want your son back?!"** Gru quickly said, still couldn't believe that this guy would get this bank business too personal.

"Yes, Gru!" Perkins said between his teeth. **"I want Victor!"**

Victor was Vector's original name but Victor himself changed it due to its lack of awesomeness, which his father would sometimes disapprove.

Gru's eyes widened in shock, that nerd had caused him too much pain in his neck, most especially when he took the girls as hostages. That is something that Gru find it unforgivable.

No, he will never ever forgive that Vector for involving the girls, and what happened to him with the moon is something that he deserves.

"Did you hear me, Gru?" the impatient Perkins stared at him. Gru is still silent on his position.

"Seems like you got deaf…" he said as he looked at Gru who is now staring back at him with cold eyes. **His frightened look vanished and is now replaced by a serious glare.**

"Don't give me that look…" Perkins hissed as he noticed Gru's dark expression, as if he's trying to scare the heck out of Perkins.

Gru's position began to change. His stood up straight with his hands clenches into fists, his eyes narrowed and his bushy eyebrows meet, his lips got crooked and his stare got even angrier.

"You don't scare me with that look..." Perkins said, getting annoyed by Gru's angry stare. "I'm financially powerful, I can make your life a living hell if you just…"

" **Actually, sir… You already did…"** Gru finally said.

"I beg your pardon?!" Perkins growled, insulted by his response.

Gru gathered his breath and said: "All my life I've done the best I could to gain your trust, but now I realized I've doing the same old bonkers **without gaining anything!"**

Mr. Perkins just stood still, completely shocked. All he knows about Gru is that he's too afraid to answer back, especially to a high-ranking villain bank boss like himself.

But now, seeing Gru quite defensive made him speechless.

"I have respected your opinions, your orders and your position. But no matter how hard I try to follow your orders, you're still supporting your mediocre son…. As far as I know in business, **you can't just put YOUR family first before your responsibilities in this bank!"** Gru said, his voice shaken in extreme anger.

Perkins shot back a beast-like frown, "You're the one who puts his family first rather than his job, don't compare me with your weaknesses…"

" **And don't compare me to your incompetent son of yours…"** Gru finally said, "Your Victor is nothing but a four-eyed leech who rather feeds on your support rather than to himself…"

"How dare you…" Perkins hissed in rage, his fingers are slowly crushing the apple on his hand.

"Oh, I dare alright!" Gru muttered, his angry eyes twitched, "And you know what? **Your son is better off on that moon…"**

Perkins' heart began to race. His anger is starting to run across his veins that he couldn't even move his body. He just stood there, frozen still, his eyes is wide open, surprised by Gru's furious behavior.

He wanted to scream at him, but his voice is caught by surprise. His hands are shaking in rage. And the apple, in his other hand, is starting to bleed out its juices as his fingers crushing it.

 **But this scene didn't even stop Gru from showing his boiling bitterness onto his oppressors**. These two Perkins, Vector and his father, made so much trouble in his life, and there's no stopping him on telling him how much pain they gave him.

"I may be weaker than you, but I never been a horrible father…" Gru continues with a snarl, "I bet you ordered him to stop me getting that moon, and what's a result? **A human idiot forever stuck on the moon!**

"You never thought of your son's safety, you always want him to get this and do this, without even thinking what will happen to him…"

Mr. Perkins felt his heart skipped a beat. His thought began to race; it's true that he's been helping his son to stop Gru from getting that moon, but he never thought that getting the moon from Gru would lose him forever.

"Hey, I've always cared about my son's safety…" Perkin lied. At some point, he doesn't care much about his elder son; Vector is way too reckless to be worried about. "It was you who took him away and…"

But Gru cut him off. "Oh that's right, go on, **Blame it on me!"** he said, sarcastically and angrily, "If there's one person who's held responsible of Vector's lost, **that's you!"** Gru pointed his finger on his boss, who is completely stunned again.

"I was in my verge of my victorious achievement as a super villain. If it wasn't for your orders on stopping me, **your Victor would've be here on Earth by now!**

 **YOU'RE THE WORST FATHER WHO EVER WALKED THIS PLANET!"**

Adrenalized by rage, Mr. Perkins crumpled his large fingers around the apple and the fruit finally got crushed in his enormous hand! Apple juice smeared across his fist and drips on the carpet like raindrops.

As Gru saw this, his aggressive personality began to simmer down. His breathing finally went normal and his angry face suddenly calmed down.

The anger in his eyes suddenly gone and is replaced by a wide-eyed shock, shocked of what he had acted earlier.

Gru felt that Mr. Perkins' oppression is way too much that he couldn't help unleashing **his beast-like anger** and almost caused stress on Perkins, especially when his boss took things too personal and blames him for losing his only son.

Gru looked with wide eyes at Perkins, the angry-looking bank manager still had that crushed apple in his grip. His tiny eyes widened and his nostril grew in complete rage.

 _Holy Bonkers…_ Gru gulped in his thoughts, _**Why did I just say that?!**_

"Umm, I…I…" Gru stammered, his voice shaking, trying to apologize of what he just said. But Perkins' fiery eyes glared even deeper at him. The Manager had heard enough…

"Get out…." Mr. Perkins breathed, almost growling.

" **GET OUT NOW!"**

Terrified, Gru jumped with a squeal and hurried to the door.

" **IMSORRYIMSORRYIMSORRYIMSORRY!"** Gru cried in panic as he raced down the staircase and flee.

Mr. Perkins glanced at his balcony and watches Gru run away across the lobby like a coward. **He even got tripped on the carpets of the hallway due to his panic flee**. The terrified Gru fell his face flat on the floor but quickly got up and run again through the main doors, **as if nothing happened!**

He finally dropped the crushed apple on the carpet floor and groaned. He walked slowly towards his desk and sits on his chair and tries to calm down.

It's dangerous for an old man like himself to feel too much anger. Stress and shock are a deadly combination for a heart attack.

Stress, because he failed to make Gru's life difficult by giving him a lot of bank debts and pressure to get Vector back.

And shock, because in all his years learning about Gru's behavior, he had never seen him so wild and bold before. What Gru did is highly intolerable, and he couldn't help but to screamed at him to get out.

The tired Perkins leaned his back on his chair and stared on the suitcase of cash that Gru left behind.

Perkins' raised his eyebrows, puzzled. **How did Gru got all those cash in just a few days?**

Perkins pulled opened his table drawer and pulled out all his medicines for the heart, he motioned to his intercom, pressed the button and called his receptionist. **"Get me some water…"**

* * *

It's night time when Margo, Edith and Agnes reached home. Their yellow school bus stopped in front of their tall black atypical house they call home, the doors slid open and Margo, Edith and Agnes hops out of the bus.

" **I can't wait to tell Lucy and Mr. Gru…"** Agnes cheered, excited to tell their parents about something to their school.

"Not if I tell them first!" Edith challenges her. Despite her heavy pink sports backpack, Edith ran passed Agnes and went to the door.

"Hey, no fair! Let me tell them…" Agnes cried, but Edith had already entered the house and ran to the living room.

Carrying her white-and-pink unicorn backpack, Agnes tries to chase after her while Margo warns them, "Hey, slow down… you two can tell them both!"

But they ignored her and the two playing chase-up around the house.

Edith and Agnes were all running wildly, laughing and giggling around the hallway. When suddenly, Edith hit someone on her way, the impact was stronger enough to knocked them both down.

Edith looked down to see Dr. Nefario, lying almost dizzy from the hitting the floor. The shocked Edith jumped away while Agnes and Margo appeared behind her.

"Whoa, I… I'm so sorry, Dr. Nefario…" Edith apologized, awkwardly.

Agnes and Margo went near the old man and helped him up.

"Aw, that's fine…" Dr. Nefario said, recovering from his dizziness. "this old timer should need a lil' knockover once in a while, **literally…"**

"Then, can I do it too?" Agnes insisted, excited to play some rough playful games on the old doctor.

"Uh no, not times, dear…" Nefario chuckled nervously.

"Okay guys, let's go…" Margo interrupted.

"Aw, but we haven't tell them yet!" Edith complained.

"Tell them what?" Nefario asked, curiously.

" **It's a surprise…"** Agnes told him.

" **And we're not telling you unless Lucy and Gru hear it first…"** Edith added.

Nefario raised his eyebrow and smiled. It's cute to see these girls keeping a little secret to make a surprise out of it.

Margo cleared her throat to get their attention.

Edith and Agnes glanced back and got her point, "Oh okay…" they sighed gloomily.

"We'll tell Lucy and Gru after we're done with our homeworks…" Agnes told Nefario in addition.

" **Now Let's go!"** Margo said again, she tucked her Lesportsac knapsack around her back and headed up stairs.

Dr. Nefario watches them as Edith and Agnes followed her and went to their bedroom.

" _Speaking of Lucy,_ _ **I wonder if she's okay…"**_ Dr. Nefario thought, curiously. It's been a while when Lucy got home from her cupcake business in the Paradise mall. He greeted her but instead of greeting him back; she walks passed him with a worried look in her eyes and went to the living room, closing the big doors behind her.

She didn't go out of that room ever since.

Dr. Nefario had a bad feeling about this. Lucy is acting strangely today, **just like the time when Gru jailed himself up at his office ever since he got that message from Perkins.**

Then, he remembered that Gru is gone the whole day. He left early morning to pay Perkins a visit, ditching the investigation on Felix with his wife.

Nefario rolled his eyes and shook his head. How could he been so silly? **Gru is working with Felix,** which is why he will never do something so stupid against him such as investigating him.

But will that only make the situation even worse? Gru is working with the AVL and with the AVL's suspect, Felix.

Who will Gru work first? Who will he trust first? The Anti-Villain League or Felix Grudgeman?

Nefario sighed. He worried too much about his friend and he hopes that Gru knows what he's doing.

He doesn't trust this Felix despite decapitating the Statue of Liberty with him yesterday, but he does trust Gru, and he really hopes that nothing will go wrong between him and Felix.

The old doctor walked across the hallway. There, he saw the living room doors still closed. _"Lucy hasn't come out there yet…"_ Nefario thought. Somehow he thought strange things are happening so suddenly.

First, Gru's self-jailing in his office, for three days…

Second, the sudden appearance of this Felix Grudgeman, and Gru's deep trust on him…

Third, Lucy's mysterious behavior, acting almost secretive…

 _ **What on earth is happening?**_ He asked himself in confusion. Ever since Gru got that note from Perkins, things got total disarray.

He was about to leave and get some space to think things through when he heard:

" **I knew it that Gru is up to something…"**

Stunned, Nefario stopped and glanced back at the living room doors. **"Was that Mr. Ramsbottom?"**

The old doctor may have a slight hearing impairment but he heard it somewhat clear that Lucy is talking to someone, someone like her AVL director.

Curious and confuse, Nefario tip-toed near the closed doors of the Living room and stick his large ear at it.

" **But that can't be, it's just can't be…"** Lucy's voice sounded shocked.

"Now, calm down…" Silas told her, "I know how it upset you regarding this matter but we have to stay calm…"

Nefario adjusted his hearing aids and listened carefully.

"So our suspicion is confirmed…" Silas said, **"Gru and Felix are working together as partners-in-crime…"**

"B..but that's enough proof for your suspicion, sir…" Lucy sounded hesitant.

"Then, can you explain why he mentioned you're from the AVL?" Silas sounded assertive. "He knows who you are and where are you working with, and he also mentioned about your husband without even telling him yet… and not to mention the cell phone he got from him…"

" _Cell phone?"_ Nefario thought, confused, _**"Felix has Gru's phone?"**_

Silas went on: "And what about El Macho's Magnet aircraft? That thing is well-secured in our organization; no one can enter there without getting detected, **except if one of our members uses his identification code and stole it without bothering our security systems…"**

Nefario lowered his eyebrows, confuse. Was he talking about Gru?

He waited for Lucy's reply but all he can hear is silence.

"Think about it, Lucy…" Silas said, convincing her. "I know your husband has a change of heart, **but once he's a villain, he's always a villain…** Human behavior doesn't change permanently, they will repeat their mistakes whether they meant it or not…"

"But what about when you recruited him?" Lucy's voice sounded defensive, "If he was thinking like a villain, then shouldn't he refuse to help us get El Macho?"

"But he **DID** refuse at the first place…" Silas pointed out, "If you had forgotten, Gru refuse to help us by the time he got here, which proves that he still has **those villain personalities** in him!"

"But that isn't enough to tell if he's really on Felix's side…" Lucy sounded desperate this time, "Please, Mr. Silas, Let's not rush this thing…maybe Gru has a good explanation about this and…"

"Oh, He **WILL** explain this when we get into the bottom of this…"

"But, Mr. Ramsbottom…"

"That's enough, Lucy…" Silas sounded annoyed. "Like I said, our suspicion has already confirmed that Gru and Felix are working together. I knew it that Gru will never resist going back to be a villain again…"

At the back of the door, Nefario is still eavesdropping, his ear pressed almost firmly on the thick wooden door, trying to get a better hearing of the conversation. And hearing Silas' statement about Gru going back of being a villain, he suddenly felt twitchy.

For some reason, Silas got a point. Gru does have this strange urge of becoming a villain again, though he didn't really tell him that he's willing to be one again, still Nefario had a weird feeling that Gru wants to be evil once more. And working with Felix must be his best option…

"So are you saying that I should get Gru as one of ours suspects?" Lucy's voice shivered.

"I'm sorry, Lucy…" Silas said, **"But I believe so…"**

Nefario felt his heart pounded in shock. _Oh no, the AVL has founded out!_ He thought in panic.

"We don't have much evidence to lead us to the suspect, **except him…"** Silas added, "The more Felix continues his acts of villainy, the more we investigate Gru… He's the only one who has a **much bigger** connection to him."

"But I…"Lucy's voice sounded like it's breaking.

"Stay strong, agent…" Silas encourage her. "What I need you to do right now is to stay quiet and keep a watchful eye on your husband, **and everyone that he's communicating to…"**

Nefario gasped silently. He's positive that one of that everyone is him!

"I… I understand…" Lucy sighed bitterly.

"Remember, Agent Wilde…" Silas said, "You're dealing with two suspects now and unfortunately, **you're on your own…"**

"Be vigilant and **don't trust him…"** Silas warned her.

Nefario waited for Lucy's reply but he heard nothing, not even form Silas'. The conversation must be over.

The old doctor moved away from the doors. Fear is starting to rise up in him; his breathing grew heavy and his heart pounding hard.

Just as he thought, **the Anti-Villain League has found them out!** Felix's crime is way too big that it caught the attention of the AVL. Gru and Felix will be arrested if Lucy had proved them guilty.

Well, Nefario doesn't care much about Felix. After all, he doesn't like his attitude and watching him getting arrested by the AVL will be a relief, but seeing Gru gets arrested too is a hard thing to watch.

Nefario walks quietly away from the doors and into the hallway.

 _There's got to be a way to get Gru out of this_ … he thought, thinking what he can do to stop the AVL on investigating Gru. Then, an idea came into his mind. Gru only hired Felix because he needs assistance for the unpaid debts,

Now that bank debts are paid then that means, **Felix can leave him alone.**

His services are over and that he can leave Gru alone! Finally, He will be out of being the **person-of-interest** of the AVL's investigation and the only person that the AVL will after is Felix alone.

Gru will be safe from his criminal involvement, and everything will be back to normal again!

That thought relieved him a little, until someone came in the door.

Nefario glanced back to see Gru entering the house, he looks tired and stressed.

"Gru…" Nefario called him, "I gotta tell you something…"

Gru looked up at him, his tired navy-blue eyes stared at him blankly.

But before Nefario could warn him about Lucy and Silas' investigation on him, Lucy came out of the living room door and saw her husband, Gru, with Dr. Nefario.

 **Lucy had just finished having a video conference with Silas Ramsbottom,** where each person has a video camera that projects their images with each other's screens. She just used their giant flat-screen television to communicate with Silas while he talks to her by his laptop.

The two guys stared quietly at Lucy, and she stared back too.

Silence comes in. Lucy opens her mouth and tries to say something but she stopped and looked away.

Lucy needs to stay casual towards the main suspect, but how can she be casual if the suspect is no other than her own husband? It's really hard for her to accept such fact.

Nefario watches her nervously. He wants to tell Gru about Lucy and the AVL's intention on the investigation, but seeing the presence of the subject of his agenda is really scary and uncomfortable.

Gru noticed their awkward silence. "Uh, okay..." he began sheepishly, his bushy eyebrows arched up "Is there something I should know about? Because at the look of your faces, you seemed a little… **excited?"** he guessed with a timid chuckle.

Lucy and Nefario stared at each other.

Silas ordered Lucy to investigate not only Gru and Felix but also his companions as well. **Does that include Dr. Nefario too?**

Nefario, on the other hand, heard the whole thing about her and the AVL's newest development for the investigation. He needs to remind Gru about Felix's end of services **or else, the two of them will become second suspects next to Felix.**

" **WE GOT SOMETHING TO TELL…"** a loud tomboyish voice yelled from behind them.

Lucy and Nefario glanced around and saw Edith popped out between them and jumped over Gru.

The tall dark-clothed father toppled down on the doorway as his daughter landed over his chest.

"We gotta tell you something, Mr. Gru…" Edith said excitedly. She looked down at him as he regains his consciousness.

"Whatever it is, **its better be good…"** he grunted in pain as he carries Edith on his hands and slowly stood at his feet.

"And it is…" Agnes appeared between Lucy and Dr. Nefario, who are still quiet.

"Really now?" Gru placed Edith on his shoulder and smiled down at Agnes.

Just then, Margo appeared between Lucy and Nefario. "Hi, mom… Hey, Dr. Nefario…"

"Oh hi, dear…" Lucy greeted her as Margo kissed her on her cheek.

"Hey there, Margo…" Nefario greeted back as Margo gave him a high-five.

"Hey, Mr. Gru…" Margo greeted him sweetly.

"Hello there, Margo…" Gru smiled at her as she hops beside him and gave him a hug.

Lucy and Nefario watch this scenario with mixed feelings.

No matter how hard she tries to defend him, she can't deny the fact that Silas maybe right about Gru working with Felix. She experience it herself lately at the mall, and unfortunately there's no doubt that Felix has a possible connection with her husband.

 **But how can an innocent loving father like Gru would accept working with such an evil person?**

The two stood there quietly and watch Gru and his girls laughing and talking happily outside the doorway in the night.

Unlike Lucy, Nefario thought differently. Since he knows about the AVL's plans for Gru, he has to make a move quick that way he won't get involve, he has to convince him to fired Felix before the AVL hunts them down both. Not only that it will save them both, **but it will also save the welfare of the entire family.**

 **But he has to warn him quietly, since Lucy is on their tails…**

"So what's the thing you're gonna tell me?" Gru smirked and carried down Edith from his shoulder.

"It's about our dance recital!" Edith began, **"We got another dance recital coming up…"**

"It's another Swan Lake ballet dance…" Agnes added.

"But it's not the usual swan lake dance; **it's a BLACK SWAN DANCE…"** Margo refries.

" **Black Swan?"** Gru asked in interest, "Well, that's a darker-theme for a little girl's dance recital…"

"It's gonna be Halloween soon…" Agnes answered. **"And we need a Halloween-themed for the original dance…"**

"It'll be awesome!" Edith blurted in excitement, "We'll dressed in black, and wear black crowns, scare the audience with our black…"

"Okay Edith, Let's not scare Gru a little…" the awkward Margo told her.

"So you will come right?" Agnes stared at him with her best puppy-dog eyes.

"Oh of course, of course I will…" Gru said.

Agnes rose up her pinky at him and said: **"Do you pinky promise?"**

Gru took a while to reply. His thoughts raced back at the time when he decided to go get the moon instead of going to their dance recital. It's a thing that he finds it a little disturbing. If he could just go ahead to the dance recital, just as he promised; the girls wouldn't get kidnapped by Vector and almost ran away with them.

Even though he forgave himself for that mistake, sometimes the incident bothers him.

" **Pinky promise…"** Gru smiled reluctantly, he rose up his pinky and linked it at Agnes' tiny pinky.

"Great!" Agnes cheered.

"Alright!" Edith cried, excitedly.

"Hope we'll see you there…" Margo told him, eager to see that finally her dad will come to the show to watch them dance.

"Oh you will, pumpkin…" he told her and rubs her shiny brunet head, **"We will see you there…"**

"Okay, girls…" Lucy finally said, checking her watch. "It's already past dinner time, Let's go get some bites…"

"I want hamburger!" Edith blurted.

"Can we get pizza instead?" Margo suggested.

"I want Jellybeans for dessert!" Agnes said.

Lucy approached the girls and led them back inside. "Now, now... You three better think it over or else We'll missed dinner…"

"But I want hamburgers, with cheese and bacon on it…" Edith said again.

" **Didn't you just eat burger for lunch already?"** Margo pointed out.

"But the burger in the cafeteria tasted awful, I want a real one!" Edith argued.

" **I know Jellybeans tasted better in burgers…"** Agnes butts in.

"No, they don't!" Edith glared at Agnes.

Lucy watches them as the three argued while they're walking inside the house. Then, Gru walked passed by her, she noticed his face looked tired and troubled.

"Um hey…" she called him, Gru looked back.

"Yes, Lucy?" he asked.

"Ummm…" she began, trying to start a conversation. But she needs to be mindful of her words, she doesn't want the suspect to notice that he's being spied on. **"So how are your errands going earlier?"**

Gru's tired eyes widened, almost shocked. He still remembered the look on Mr. Perkins back at that back: his small eyes burning in anger, his nostrils flared, his teeth clenched tight and the apple was crushed instantly in his bare hand.

He could tell that he upset him big time, and he didn't even thought of stopping himself for being so harsh on him.

Lucy noticed his frightened look, and she felt worried. "Um, Gru… are you okay?"

Gru shook his head as if he just woke up from a bad dream. "Um, of course, I'm fine, I'm fine… **I'm very fine…."** He said and chuckled nervously.

Lucy could feel that he's not being honest of his answer; she felt something is bothering him when she asked about his errands. Then, another thought hit her: **Does those errands involve Felix?**

Stressed, Gru pinched his bridge of his nose and sighed, "I think I need to rest…"

But before Lucy could say anything, he quickly turn away from her and went into the other side of the living room.

Lucy gulped. This investigation will not be easy for her, especially that her beloved husband and partner has become one of the suspects now.

Lucy was deep in thought when Nefario cleared his throat, **"Um, I guess I'll just be in my office for awhile…"**

"Um, sure…" she breathed, her face looked sad. Then, she walked across the hallway and followed the girls to the kitchen.

Nefario watches her as she disappears in the hallway, then he started walking but he's going to his office, he's going to see Gru in the other side of the living room.

Gru's house has an enormous living room. Aside from the entertainment section where his giant flat screen television and his crocodile-shaped couch were displayed, he also has another section where a warm fireplace is structured and a giant rhino-shaped chair and a pink teddy chair-shaped chair are displayed beside it.

But at the other side of the fireplace section is **his black acoustic piano.** And on that piano, Gru assembles it by lifting the lid and sits firmly on his piano seat. He barely plays his piano due to his busy schedules as an ex-villain, father and a newly-recruited agent. Perhaps a good play would help him relax after all those hard, scary encounters he went though.

But before he plays, he stares down at his pinky and recalled his promise to Agnes lately.

 **Then, in a blink of an eye, he recalls his childhood…**

Gru was only 10-years old when he had his first recital, **a piano recital.** He's always good in piano in that time, and he hopes that his mother would appreciate his musical talent. Just like Agnes, he too was expecting his mother would come. He even made her promise that she would show up before his piano recital starts.

But all his mother's reply was **"EH…"**

To a 10-year old, it's easy to stay positive, and he actually believe that he's mother would come to see him play despite her unclear response.

The day of his recital has arrived. The school stage is lightened up; a beautiful grand piano is displayed at the middle of the stage, waiting for its young musician

And there he was, the 10-year old Gru wearing his best penguin tuxedo with a blue bow tie, appeared on the stage, bowed to his audience and stared for awhile, no sign of his mother.

Then the boy motioned to his piano and plays his featured piece.

The audience marveled at the young pianist but as he plays, Gru glanced back and forth, eager to see his mother among the audience.

The young boy is still hopeful, maybe his mother was just late and will appear during his recital…

When he finished his piece, he rose up from his seat, took a bow and finally gets a closer look at the crowd, **but sadly he didn't saw his mother.**

He looks around from the bottom side to the front row, **but still he can't spot her.**

The young Gru remained smiling for his amazed audience. But as he leaves the stage, tears flowed down from his eyes…

Even in his older age, he still remained hopeful. That someday his mother would be so proud of who he is and what he is capable of.

But he wasn't expecting that being a father of three orphan girls would make her proud rather than being a moon-stealing villain.

But still, Gru felt hurt when she didn't show up for his piano recital. He was so ready for that, but his mother still doesn't care about it.

 _Stop being a baby…_ Gru thought to himself, trying to get matured, _it's all in the past,_ _ **You can't reset it…**_

Gru shoo away the thought of his past and looked down at his piano keys. He flexed his fingers and was ready to play when suddenly:

" **GRU…"** Neafario pops beside him.

" **MOTHERPLEASECOMETOMYRECITAL!"** The startled Gru squealed and fell of his seat, thudding on the hard wooden floor.

"Gru, we need to talk…" Nefario said firmly, he stared down at Gru, who is now lying flat in his back.

Gru sighed in infuriation. First: his argument with Perkins, Second: Edith crashed over him and now this. Can his life get even more surprising?

"If this is about Felix's 'mysterious' behaviors again, I already told you: **He is not a schemer and he will not do anything stupid against me…"** Gru said as he recalls their small conversation this morning about Felix's unruly behavior towards his minions.

Nefario stopped for awhile when he said that. He remembered how awkward he felt when he tries to ruin Felix behind his back by reporting that incident to him, but it's very surprising that Gru seemed to fully trust this person rather than his best friend.

"It's not about Felix anymore…" Nefario confirmed, trying to put that thought aside.

"Well, good…" Gru sighed and finally got up from the floor, "I'm not in the mood talking about it anyway…"

" **It's about Lucy and the AVL…"** Nefario began.

Gru stopped short and stared at him in concern. "What about Lucy?"

"Well…" Nefario sighed, "I overheard her talking with this Silas guy inside the living room lately, and…"

Nefario stopped. He needs to be careful of spreading a bad news. Seeing the stress in Gru's eyes, the old doctor can tell that he went in a rough state and he needs to talk this news as calmly as possible.

"And…" Gru noticed Nefario's uncertain tone of his words.

" **And they know about you working with Felix…"** Nefario finally said, who can't seem to find any other choice of telling this in a calmer way.

But to his surprise, **Gru didn't react.**

Instead, He just went back to his piano seat and sighed, "Oh well, that wasn't so bad…"

Nefario couldn't believe his ears, the news about the AVL are after Gru and Felix is bad enough, and still he remains calm to this.

" **Wasn't so bad?!"** Nefario exclaimed at Gru, "Gru, the Anti-Villain League are investigating not only Felix but including YOU too! And if we don't do something, they'll…"

"Nefario, please…" Gru rubbed the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

Then, Nefario stopped and looked at Gru, remembering the same gesture as Felix does. And to his surprise, **they looked and acted the same way.**

"Look, I know you're concern of me and I appreciate that…" Gru began and looked at his Nefario's goggled eyes, "but if you're considering of firing Felix to get me out of the AVL's watch list, **then I'm not doing it…"**

"Wait, what?" Nefario gasped in shock.

"Felix has done well on getting money for the bank debts…" Gru explains, "And it would be rude to fire him after all he did for us…"

"But Gru, didn't you said that you and Felix made a contract that after this heist, you'll pay for his services and leave us alone?" Nefario remained him.

" **Well, the deal has been changed…"** Gru said.

"Change?" Nefario asked, puzzled.

" **Felix will work with me as my personal villain-for-hire** , his services will be for free and will continue to do heist with me until I had enough…" Gru explained. He turned away from Nefario and faced his acoustic piano.

"But Gru…" the old doctor said, determined to give some senses into Gru's head, "the AVL are investigating you right now and their getting Lucy to do that, you won't risked your relationship just for that four-eyed villain…"

" **If it's necessary, I will…"** Gru answered firmly, playing an F-major scale on his piano keys.

"Have you lost your mind?!" Nefario said, stunned. "Felix is a not an ordinary villain, he's a walking plague! He's pure evil and you can't trust such a person…"

"And who are you to tell me that?" Gru rolled his eyes in annoyance and continues playing a G-major scale.

" **I'm your Friend!"** Nefario finally said, "We've been together for years, but this Felix just came in just a few days and **trusted him more than me…"**

Nefario's voice sounded like its breaking. It's hurtful for an old man to see that his friend that he considered family is giving much attention to this total stranger.

But Gru remained silent and continues playing his piano.

The old doctor couldn't take it anymore. He has to convince Gru on getting rid of Felix before the AVL finds out and ruins their friendship.

" **Gru, do you have any idea what will happen if you continue your work with Felix?"** Nefario glared at him but he didn't even glanced back.

Completely pissed at Gru's silent treatment, Nefario marched beside his piano and said: "The longer you stayed working with Felix, **the deeper the AVL's investigation will become…**

And the more this investigation deepens, **the greater the damages your family will get!"**

Then, Gru stopped playing and looked at Nefario, his eyes frowned.

Nefario sensed that he finally got his attention, "Look, I'm speaking as a friend, "he said, almost begging, **"You have to fire Felix or our family will suffer…"**

Gru moved his eyes away from Nefario and stared down onto his hands. It took awhile for him to response, and then finally Gru said: **"I'm sorry…"**

Nefario's hopeful face drops in shock.

"But I'm not doing it... the deal is already been done: Felix and I will collaborate as villains and…"

Before Gru continues, Nefario shouted: **"YOU RATHER CHOSE THAT GUY RATHER THAN YOUR FAMILY?!"**

"Nefario, you had no idea what you're saying…" Gru argued, seeing Nefario's violent reaction.

"And I had no idea why you trusted Felix so much?" Nefario blurted out, disappointed. **"What makes you trusted him more than anyone, more than me?**

I can't believe you would risk sacrificing your family just for doing evil deeds with this guy! Soon the AVL will have enough evidence to put a price tag for your arrest. And if that happens, don't you dare come crying for my help…"

"Who needs your help?" Gru grumbled. **"You've always been a pain in the neck anyway…"**

"What?" Nefario asked, surprised of his response.

"You really want to know why I trusted Felix more than you…" Gru began and rose up from his chair. **"Because I don't want you to repeat the same mistakes…"**

"What are you talking about?" Nefario said, stunned.

" **I'm talking you and your old selfish lil' acts…"** Gru glared at him, "When I took the girls here for the first time, I never felt so light and happy before, and what did you do? **You took them away from me,** and thanks to you, Vector almost flew them away for good…"

Nefario shivered as he stared at Gru's angry look, "Gru, that was years ago and…"

"And what about your new job opportunity…" Gru cuts him before he would finish his sentence, "you know our jelly-jam business is running low and instead of helping me out, **you went off and find some other boss who is better than me…"**

Nefario shook his head, "No, Gru… that's not what you think…"

"And though that evil-minion experiment wasn't enough for you, **you even let El Macho get Lucy as hostage.**.." Gru growled, his upset face grew darker and his navy-blue eyes frown at him. "You were there at his headquarters, and instead of saving her from your boss, **you came crying for my help like a coward wimp…"**

Nefario couldn't find the words to start with. Gru is right! The old doctor has a long series of betrayals towards him: the girl's sudden departure, his resign and his alliance with El Macho, his minion-napping spree and experimentation on them, and also, Lucy's imprisonment in the hands of his boss.

"So tell me now, **my good friend…** " Gru marched towards Nefario and looked at him in the eyes.

" **Why should I trust you?"**

The question struck the old doctor's conscience. Because of his selfish acts, he endangered so many of his loved ones. And he bet Gru was deeply hurt with that, nothing in this world would hurt him more than seeing his very loyal friend turn selfish and almost putting his family in danger.

So how can Gru trust him without making any selfish deeds over and over again?

" _ **No wonder Gru would trust Felix that much",**_ Nefario thought. Felix was able to keep his word of finding immediate money to pay the debts. In some cases, Felix saved Gru from perilous bank debts and he seemed to earn his trust.

Comparing it to his actions, Nefario didn't do anything except causing trouble to his family.

In other words, **Felix is more dependable than himself.**

Realizing this, the old doctor shrugged in remorse.

"That's what I thought…" Gru sighed, noticing his silence. "Felix may have flaws but he is more reliable than you, and I hope you understand why I trusted him so…"

Gru retreated to his acoustic piano, his face still looked upset.

Nefario didn't say anything. He just watched Gru sit back at his piano seat and plays some few Major and Minor scales on its keyboard.

Gru didn't even looked back as Nefario turns away from him and leave the room.

Silence fills the room and Gru sighed _"Finally, some peace and quiet…"_ he thought.

Then, Gru motioned his fingers on his keyboard and is ready to start to play a piece, when suddenly:

" **But, Gru…"** Nefario appeared to his side again.

" **ATLASTPEACEANDQUIETAAAAHHH…"** he screamed, Gru got startled again and fell off from his seat.

"Um sorry, did I surprise you there?" the old doctor asked in concern.

" **Can you people be more careful on surprising someone?!"** Gru yelled, irritated. He jumped on his feet and regained his balance.

He glared at Nefario who is staring back in awkwardness.

"Sorry, it's just that…" Nefario began, "I forgot to ask: What about Lucy and the AVL? They going to start investigating you and Felix, you know…"

" **Then, let them investigate…"** Gru quickly answered, "Felix is a very skilled villain. He will never get caught and so would I…

 **I'm not afraid of them, not anymore…"**

Then, Gru returned to his piano, leaving the stunned Nefario behind him.

Nefario repeated the last words in his thoughts, the last time he heard that is when he and Felix are inside his ship during their Liberty-stealing scam.

The old doctor asked the same question about being tracked down by the AVL, and surprisingly, he said the same answer as Gru's: " **I'm not afraid of them, not anymore…"**

Is this just a coincidence? Or they just share the same interest?

After all, they are always together and they could've have shared the same idea to each other.

But Nefario shooed that thought aside and refocused on the AVL agenda.

"But Gru, this AVL can be dangerous if they found out you guys. Is there anything I can do to help you two?" Nefario insisted, trying to be productive.

"Maybe perhaps a little privacy would do just fine…" Gru answered without looking back.

"But the AVL…" Nefario said, determine to contributed some help and earn his trust again.

But Gru glanced back and gave him **a blood-chilling glare** : his bushy eyebrows meets, his tired blue eyes narrowed in rage, his teeth clenched tight, almost like its breaking and his hands balls up into fists, almost knocking the piano keys in front of him.

Nefario gulped and got his point. Gru seemed to be not in a mood of talking about Felix or the AVL any longer.

"Umm yes, of course…" Nefario said with an awkward smile, **"You need privacy, a whole amount of it!"**

But Gru didn't say anything nor changes his expression; his face still looked like his going to kill someone. Seeing this, the frightened doctor starts marching slowly out of the room.

"I'm terribly sorry to surprise you there," Nefario tries to apologies as the angry-looking Gru watches him out of the room. "Maybe we can talk some other time, alright? **Okay, seeyoubye!"**

Gru watches him as he jumped near the doors of the living room, went out and slams the door behind him.

As soon as Nefario disappeared, Gru stopped glaring and sighed.

"What has happened to me?" Gru asked himself. "Acting so defensive to my old friend and comparing him with Felix… **How could I been so awful?"**

Gru looked remorseful. Nefario was just trying to protect him by telling him about his discoveries on Lucy and the AVL's newest development in the Felix investigation. But instead of appreciating his efforts, he scolded him and even compares his past mistakes to Felix's flawless record as a villain assistant.

Gru felt terrible. Nefario doesn't deserve to be treated like that. The old doctor was just trying to help and make things right despite his past mistakes.

But his decision was made clear: **Felix will forever be his villain assistant** , to satisfy his craving for villainy and to help him gain more time to his family.

The consequences might be big but at least he's got a talented villain to get him out of any sticky situations, somewhat that Nefario failed to do.

Then, Gru took a deep breath and motioned in front of his piano. Now that pesky Nefario is gone, perhaps a little piano playing would help him calm down.

He went through a lot today: keeping Felix as a secret from the AVL, his outrage towards Mr. Perkins lately and now, his violent behavior to Nefario.

Indeed, maybe a soothing piano music would calm his stressful day.

Gru flexed up is fingers, but he suddenly glanced back to see if anyone would startle him some more.

Relieve to see no one was there, he began playing his favorite piano piece. It's the same piano piece that he played back when he was still a kid, that time during his piano recital.

The piano music was entitled **Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven.**

 **END OF CHAPTER SIX**

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for checking out this fan fiction chapter, Things are getting pretty intense now that the AVL are getting Lucy to investigate Gru and Felix,

And I also added one of Gru's childhood insecurities. Almost every part of the official movie trilogy itself was Gru's flashback, showing all kinds of his childhood memories of fear and anxieties.

In this fanfic, little Gru was emotionally hurt when he found out that his mother didn't show up at his piano recital, and that incident has a great involvement in this story…

 **Not to mention that the Moonlight Sonata is the same piano piece that Felix played at the last chapter…**

In Felix's warning says " **This is just the Beginning".** This is what the Anti-Villain League remembered when an unexpected incident awaken the quiet town near the residential area. And to their great surprise, **Felix victimized a fellow villain!**

Which villain did he attack? **Was it Gru?** What else will he do next? Let his terrorism begin in **Chapter Seven: Felix Strike Again**


	8. Felix Strikes Again

**CHAPTER SEVEN: FELIX STRIKE AGAIN**

It's already early morning of October 14 when Dr. Nefario carries his mug of freshly brewed coffee and takes it to his work station which is inside Gru's underground laboratory.

As the minions came around the lab after their breakfast and busily working on their jelly-jam production, Nefario finally came to his table and sat quietly on his chair.

He pressed open his computer and goes to work. But even though his face is in the monitor, his mind wonders in confusion and concern.

Last night was a real harsh one.

And hurtful too, **Does Gru really meant those words at him?**

Comparing his mistakes on Felix's clean performance as a villain assistant might be a gravest critique that Gru can give to Nefario despite his old-age mentality.

And does he really mean that Felix will forever be his villain assistant?

Does that mean he had finally replacing Nefario by that no-good Felix guy? Is that how deep his trust on Felix is?

Nefario felt his head aches in stress. He worries too much and decided to drink some coffee. He grabs his coffee beside him and leaned over his chair, trying to breathe in relaxation.

As he sips his coffee, he caught sight of Gru who is coming out of a door and walks across the lab hall.

The old doctor puts his cup down and was about to greet him but he noticed something on him.

 **Gru looks angry.** His bushy eyebrows meets, his blue eyes frowned and his lips curled in anger.

Nefario just kept quiet as he walked passed his work station and through the large lobby where his minions greeted him with delight.

But Gru didn't even pay attention to them. He keeps marching across the lobby, not even minding on minions that he gets tripped or slammed by his tall skinny legs.

He even stumped on the minion's foot without apologizing; the poor minion grabs his sore foot and cry over it while his other minions laughed at him in hysterical.

Nefario gulped as he watches the seriously-angry Gru, the last time he saw that look was last night when he flashed the same angry glare at him when he got pissed by their discussion that time.

The old doctor is too afraid to interfere as Gru continuously marched his way across the flooding crowd of his minions, ignoring every single one of them, especially to the minions who gets stumped, kicked or even hit by his tall black-panted legs.

Again, Gru didn't apologies nor complain to his minions. He just stares straight ahead with a really aggressive frown.

Then, Dr. Nefario also noticed that Gru is carrying two things in his hands: A big black suitcase in his left and a piece of paper crumpled around in his right.

Nefario recognized that suitcase and thought, _**"Isn't that the suitcase that Gru should deliver to Perkins yesterday?"**_

He watches as Gru stands at the middle of the lobby and looked upward, a large tube-shaped glass elevator descended from above the ceiling and landed on the floor next to Gru.

Then at his both side, Kevin and Bob stood at his left while Stuart stood at his right with his ukulele strapped around his back.

"Eh? Deli Zzzzs no good? (Eh? Did he had a bad sleep?) Bob asked Kevin who noticed Gru's aggressive behavior.

As the glass door of the elevator slides open, the angry Gru shoved the big suitcase on Kevin's face while the piece of paper in his hand stuffed it in Stuart's mouth before he could even laughed at Kevin.

 **"I'm going to give that jerk a piece of my mind!"** Gru growled angrily. He walked into his elevator and waiting for the glass door to close. Then, the giant elevator ascended upward and carries Gru into the tunnels in the ceiling and ahead above to his house on the earthly surface.

As the elevator gone, Nefario looked around him, the minions started to exchange looks and whispers to each other, most of them are confused about Gru's reaction lately.

Their master doesn't act like this before. True, they've been with him ever since he was a child but in all their years working with him, they never saw him acting so hot-tempered before, and if it does, perhaps it's very rare.

And who was that "Jerk" that Gru is referring to?

Nefario, too, is surprised about Gru's behavior to the minions. He remembered the time Felix mistreated his minions by firing Norbert the idiot across the lab by a giant cannon after he purposely threw Felix his cupcake.

Just now, Gru somewhat became as rude as Felix. But Felix's impolite gestures are a lot more terrible comparing to Gru's

Dr. Nefario noticed that the minions are whispering even louder, gossiping about Gru's behavior lately.

The old doctor walked in front of the minions and said to them: "Alright, everyone! Quit chatting and go to your places…"

The minions obeyed and one by one, they went to their separate stations and continue their work.

Except for Kevin, Nefario glanced around to see Kevin, still getting flattened up by the big heavy suitcase Gru threw at him.

Bob went to help him. With his tiny hands, he pushes the heavy case away and Kevin was able to stand on his feet.

Dr. Nefario went to them and picked up the suitcase. He flipped open it's locks and checked it's contents.

The two-billion dollar worth of cash is still strapped equally at both sides of the suitcase. And to Nefario's surprise, **not a single bundle of money was taken from it.**

Nefario remembered that they took these cashes from one of the Manhattan banks back at New York city during the decapitation of the Liberty Statue.

And yes, Felix was in charge of that heist.

Then, Nefario felt insecure again.

Now he understands why Gru would trust him very much. Felix was able to complete his mission, he was able to pulled off, not only one, but two crimes at the same time.

Because of his grand scam, he gained worldwide attention and that would satisfy Gru's craving of doing evil.

 **Something that Dr. Nefario can't accomplish for him.**

The old doctor was lost in thought when he heard a sound of a choking person from the other side.

Nefario closed the money suitcase and saw Kevin and Bob trying to help Stuart whose mouth is stuffed with a big roll of paper and couldn't breathe.

Kevin tried to remove the paper by hugging his stomach and pressed it hard that why way he can spit it out, but the paper ball got even deeper into Stuart's throat.

Nefario came to help but he's too afraid to even touch him. One wrong force around his body might trigger his condition and might die due to suffocation.

Stuart struggles to keep his balance but his head is getting dizzy. He's slowly losing oxygen and is about to faint.

But the clever Kevin thought of an idea before Stuart could even drop.

The tall minion went behind Stuart, raised his foot backwards and kicked his rear end.

The impact is strong that the force went up to his throat and coughed out the big crumple paper ball out his mouth.

At last, Stuart gasped for air and slowly regains his composure.

Bob went to Kevin and cheered for him. The embarrassed Kevin blushes and thanked his small cute friend.

"Well done, Kevin…" Dr. Nefario grumbled.

The minion's smiles disappeared when they saw Gru's assistant, Dr. Nefario, standing in front of them **with a big wet paper ball sticking on his goggled-eyes like a bubble gum** , thick drops of saliva droops down to the floor.

Bob and Stuart looked at Kevin, who just giggled nervously.

The old doctor just sighed in annoyance. He picked out the slimy crumpled paper ball away from his face and unrolled it.

Stuart's saliva might have smudge most of the ink of the paper but the letters were vivid enough read it.

Nefario take a closer look and read:

 _I would like to congratulate you for completing your bank debts before the start of your due date, but I cannot accept your payment._

 _Your behavior yesterday disappoints me and I cannot tolerate such misbehavior. And so by that, I refuse to accept any of your payments due to your lack of professionalism and misconduct. And as for your bank debts, this will remain unpaid until you have learned how to respect your superior and to pay a more proper way._

 _And also,_ _ **you are banned for entering the Bank of Evil**_ _for we do not negotiate with unruly clients._

 _I hope I made myself clear for the client of this Bank._

 _Very Yours truly_

 _Mr. Perkins_

 _Manager, Bank of Evil_

"Uh-oh…" Dr. Nefario breathed, stunned.

Gru missed the Felix investigation just to secretly go to the Bank and deliver the payments personally to Mr. Perkins yesterday.

But what made Dr. Nefario confuse is when the letter mentioned how Gru acted so awful that Perkins got so disappointed that he officially banned him for entering the bank.

 _"Did Gru do something to Perkins?"_ Nefario wondered with a slight shiver of fear.

The debts remained unpaid and by that, the banks will continuously demanding them despite Gru being banned to come to the bank.

But why would Perkins refuse to accept it? Was it because of Gru's behavior yesterday or was it something else?

The confused Nefario folded the slimy paper, went back to his work station and sat on his chair.

There are so many unsolved mysteries are going around here ever since the bank debts begun,

Gru locked himself up inside his office for three days…

A Mysterious appearance of Felix Grudgeman…

Dave's sudden disappearance…

Gru's sudden trust over Felix…

And now, **Mr. Perkins banned Gru for coming to the bank and refuses to accept any of his payments.**

No wonder Gru was so upset lately. He must have got that message this morning and couldn't stop being so hot-headed.

Tired and confuse, Nefario grabbed his coffee from his table and smelled its aroma.

As Nefario sips his coffee, he recalled in his mind of Gru's statement lately before he left the laboratory:

" **I'm going to give him a piece of my mind!"**

He puts down his coffee mug and thought.

The old doctor suddenly realized something. Is Gru is going to get revenge on Perkins on banning him?

That's not the Gru he knows, **the Gru he knows is scared of Mr. Perkins!** He shows great respect to him, Gru's reaction on Perkins' refusal of helping him on his moon-stealing finance didn't made him angry or goes marching down in violence. He just kept quiet and accepted his decision.

But only this time, Gru suddenly acting fierce against Perkins, he usually respects his decision but this time he starting complaining and showing unruly behaviors, **which is very unlikely of him.**

"He must be taking too hard on this…" Nefario confirmed to himself, thinking maybe this bank-debt deadline is getting into his friend's head.

Nefario looked down on his coffee and noticed that it's already empty. "Maybe another round of coffee would relax me a bit…" he thought, thinking that the bittersweet drink might do him good while having a very rough, busy day.

He stood away from his seat and went back to the nearest pantry.

* * *

In a nearby town, Lucy leaned against the door of her small blue car which is parked on the pavement in front of a town dance studio.

She looked around her. The trees around town are already turning from green to orange, autumn is now here as the day of October's Halloween is coming.

For now, Lucy is in charge of taking the girls home from their dance practice which was entitled: **THE BLACK SWAN,** a rather darker-version of the Swan lake dance as they all portray the evil black swan of the Swan Lake story.

"Things are relating too much stuff for this Halloween…" Lucy sighed, lost in thought.

Many strange things were happening around her now. A new villain named Felix and his secret alliance with her husband, his minion's scene in the Liberty Scam security footage and also, Dr. Nefario's odd behavior last night.

But what's a lot scarier is her investigation on Felix and Gru. Being a lone agent is harder than she thought and seeing her husband gets involve is never been so hurtful.

Before she could go deep into her thoughts, the door of the dance studio burst open and kids poured out to the streets, and among those kids were Margo, Edith and Agnes.

The three girls came out in their usual white ballet dress and went to their mother.

Lucy motioned to her adopted girls and hugged them, "Hey, girls…."

"Hi, mom!" Edith and Agnes greeted her and threw her arms around her. Except for Margo, she looked upset as she frowns over her cellphone.

"Hi, dear!" Lucy greeted her cheerily.

"Oh, Hi Lucy…" Margo lifted her head and struggles for a smile.

"Something wrong, dear?" Lucy noticed Margo's bitter look lately.

" **It's her boyfriend again, Antonio…"** Edith answered for her.

"He's not my boyfriend, not anymore…" Margo grumbled at her.

"Antonio?" Lucy remembered the named of El Macho's son during their investigation on him.

"Yeah…" Edith said again, "He's texting her again…."

"Texting?" Lucy sounded surprised, "About what?"

" **About being a jerk he was!"** Margo groaned. The stunned Lucy watched her as she enters the car and looked back on her cellphone.

"That Antonio is bothering her ever since she left him…" Agnes added.

"Left him?" Lucy said, "But that was like two years ago…"

" **Exactly!"** Edith confirmed, "He's been texting her apology notes, dating notes, Love notes and everything just to get her back..."

"I don't like those kind of guys…" Agnes said, "They're scary…"

"Hey!" Margo said aloud to her adopted sisters, "Can you stop talking? This is my private life…"

"Okay, okay, that's enough!" Lucy said before things gets out of hand.

Lucy's car maybe a two-passenger seat but they always find a way to fit themselves up.

Margo sat near the door while Agnes sat on her lap, Edith sat comfortable between Margo and Lucy.

"Okay, Everyone in?" Lucy said, buckling her seatbelt and rubs her hands on her steering wheel.

"Yeah!" the girls answered.

Then, Lucy turns on the engine and carefully drove away from the pavement. The streets are clear and only few people were walking on the sidewalks to go home.

The sun was setting and the afternoon sky turns into blue and purple as the orange sun sinks into the horizon. The girls looked up the car window, amazed.

Lucy, on the other hand, looked at her side window for awhile. And as they passed a random bank, she saw something that surprised her.

Suddenly, **she stepped on the brakes and the car went to a full stop.** The girls also hit their heads on the dashboard.

"Hey!" Edith complained as her pink knitted cap on her golden head went off place.

"You okay, Agnes?" the worried Margo asked as she hugged her little sister when they abruptly stopped.

"I'm okay…" she answered, "Hey, mom, are you okay?"

Lucy's face is still on her side window. Then, she glanced to her daughters and said: "You girls stay here, I'll be right back…"

She immediately unbuckled her seatbelt and burst of her car door. She rushed to the bank and **saw Mr. Ramsbottom and some other agents in black suits and black sunglasses.**

The AVL group had flocked a town bank. Some are strapping yellow police tapes around the area of the bank's doorstep, and some are inside a parked ambulance near the bank.

As an AVL agent, so showed her identification card to the black-suited agents who were guarding the scene, the black-suited agents were convinced and enter Lucy Wilde into the scene of the crime.

Curious, she went to the ambulance first to check on the victim and to her surprise, **it was Mr. Perkins!**

The bank manager lies unconsciously on the emergency stretcher. He seemed to be breathing but he looked so white and pale, his still wearing his usual blue business suit **but his huge body is shivering too.**

"Agent Wilde…" Mr. Ramsbottom called her from behind.

"Sir…" she glanced back at him, still shocked.

" **I wasn't expecting that we would find the Bank of Evil in this condition** …" he started.

"Why? What happened here?" Lucy asked, puzzled.

"The police had called our hotline and reported that some thief had just robbed the bank… And it's not just any bank, **it's a Villain bank…** and it's been financially supplying villains everywhere…" Silas explained.

Lucy looked up, listening carefully.

Silas continues: "As we came, we found a secret passage inside the men's bathroom. And we finally found the top secret bank that we've been searching for years…

As we investigate, we found his office **and saw Mr. Perkins completely frozen in ice.** We also saw his money vault open and found out that the vault is clearly empty, the thief must've taken the money and froze the bank manager.

As our team rescues him, we found some other evidence inside his office…"

Then, Silas snapped his fingers and a random black-suited agent appeared next to him. He handed him a big ziplock plastic bag with a heavy black gun inside.

"Do you know who owns this?" he asked her, hoping that Lucy would know about it.

Lucy answered with a gasp **"Gru's freeze ray gun?!"** She knows this quite well for this is the weapon that Gru pulled out when they first met.

"I always knew he's involved…" Silas confirmed with a grumble.

"No, that can't be…" Lucy muttered, stunned.

"Lucy, both of us know that Gru and Felix are working together as villains and you can't trust your husband anymore…" Silas reminded her, "Remember: **Once a villain, always a villain…"**

Lucy was about to protest when suddenly, another random agent went next to them. "Excuse me, Mr. Silas…" he said, "I believe you have to see this…"

The two found themselves inside the Bank of Evil itself.

The place is packed with AVL staffs and detectives, working around as they gather clues, takes photographs and tracking any source of the suspect.

Lucy looked up amazed by its lavish Greek-inspired interiors, except for the last marble column where a statue got crushed by the pillar his carrying.

The random agent guy led Silas and Lucy in the Bank's security office. "There's a recent recording of the incident lately and perhaps this will help us for the investigation…"

Silas was the first one to enter its dark room. The place is filled with security monitors, voice recording equipments, safe codes and other multi-security systems.

The place is run by AVL agents now while the real security head is being under surveillance.

Silas glanced on the monitor showing the recent attack that took place recently inside of Perkin's office.

The agent rewinds the entire scene and stopped on the time before the attack.

Silas looked down at the monitor and watches the scene carefully:

The green office was quiet and empty, Perkins sits on his chair behind his wide table, studying his bank documents as usual. Everything was just going fine until his intercom beeped on his table.

"Mr. Perkins…" his receptionist called through its speakers, "Someone's here to see you…"

Perkins moved his tiny eyes in confusion and answered the intercom, "I didn't have any appointment scheduled for today…" he complained, "Who is it, then?"

Before the receptionist could answer, someone answered for him.

" **I am."** Felix came out of the door with friendly smile on his face. Along with him is a huge black bag.

"You…" Perkins stood out of his seat, stunned. "I know you… You're that man from the…"

" **The Liberty Scam?"** Felix confirmed for him, "Yes, quite I am. I don't like how they called it, but I believe it will do…"

He walking casually to the room and went near the table.

Mr. Perkins sighed and cleared his throat. He knows this new villain and he's quite impressed of him, and in the back of his mind, he would gladly want to work with this kind of client than Gru.

Perkins tried to look composed and smiled back, "Well, It's a pleasure to see the villain behind the beheading…" he said, sounded proud and offer his palm for a handshake.

But Felix stared at him, **"Am I going to shake that hand of yours?"** he rudely asked.

Perkins blinked in surprised, "I… no, you seemed not to…" he said. He felt insulted and his smile disappeared. He isn't only a talented villain, but an irritating one too.

" **Glad you noticed…"** Felix muttered and combed back his greasy black hair.

Perkins curled his lips, feeling slightly annoyed.

Then, Felix walks around the room. He stopped, puts down his travel bag beside him and stared at the majestic painting of Perkins' version of Napoleon in the Imperial throne.

"This is quite a marvelous work of art…" Felix looked up, impressed.

"Well, thank you…" Perkins smiled proudly, at least the painting caught Felix's respect for him. "I was admired by its original and I would like to have my own version of myself…"

"Tell me, Mr. Perkins…." Felix muttered, cutting him off. "Since when did you become an imperial ruler?"

Perkins looked at him, confused. "Well, I…" he chuckled, feeling a little awkward of Felix's curious answer. "Actually I really didn't become a ruler but…"

" **Exactly…"** Felix said, sounded firm.

Perkins looked stunned, "I beg your pardon…" he said.

"You heard me…" Felix began, and glanced back at him. "I believe you understand this quite well…"

Perkins find himself too dumbfounded to answer back but Felix continued.

"Money gives you power, does it not? And the more power you have, the more you feel like a king. But don't worry, you don't have to hide the sad truth from me…"

"Truth about what?" Perkins said, his tiny eyes are starting to get flared.

" **That you are not a king…"** Felix finally said, "Unfortunately, even though you're not like one, you treat yourself as such and you bully your way into power. You purge all the flaws out of this bank just to keep your reputation royalty clean, **which I believe sounds unfair…"**

"What are you talking about?" Perkins finally said but completely in denial.

" **Are you deaf or you can't understand English at all?"** Felix said, annoyed. "I'm talking about how immature you are to handle your bank. You think you're an almighty king that can take down all your weakly clients to the ground, **but you are sadly mistaking…"**

Perkins looked very shocked. He looked up to this fine talented villain. He respected him since he walked into this office, but all he could get in return is an unpleasant insult, looks like he found another rude person than Gru.

But Perkins sighed and chuckled "How can you know this?" he said, ironically. "This bank became the finest one to serve villains around the globe, you don't have proof to judge how badly I worked here…"

"Maybe…" Felix admitted, **"But I have leads…"**

Perkins arched his eyebrow in curiosity, "Leads?"

"Please do not underestimate me…" Felix smiled, "I know how you corrupt your clients with your false trust and dishonest remarks… a classic example is when **you support your son to villainy to take down one of your clients…"**

Perkins' eye popped open in surprise. Is he talking about Gru?

"Yes, Mr. Perkins." Felix sighed, satisfied to see him stunned. "I know all of your doings in this bank, and getting rid of its clients is one of them…"

"You don't scare me…" Perkins said, trying to stay firm. "You may be right about some things, but you're wrong about this: **I AM A KING!"**

Now it's Felix turn to look surprised.

"I never have this much money, much power to fool those villains who thought they can do so much…" Perkins smiled deviously. "I am financially powerful! My clients feared me and if they disrespect me, **I can take them down bit by bit!"**

"They have no choice but to do as I say, because I hold their life's savings, I am like their king that should be respected and followed… **and that goes the same to you…"** he frowned as he points his finger at Felix.

But the green-eyed villain just sighed and shook his head in dismay. He leaned over to his bag next to him, unzipped it and pulled out a huge black gun with a glass ice-contained barrel, "You may be a king to some people," he said, adjusting the freeze ray, **"but you are not some bloody king TO ME…"**

Perkins' felt his blood is beginning to boil, "Why you rotten little…"

Before Perkins could go on, Felix pointed the gun to him and a struck of frozen bolt shoot him **and Perkins is instantly encased in ice.**

"And that's another thing I should mention to you…" Felix said to the frozen Perkins, "Not just immature **but you are very reckless…"**

Then, Felix dropped Gru's freeze ray gun on the floor, carried his bag and went near the vault. The scoundrel grabbed something from his bag and pulled out another device, **a rounded-shaped automatic lock decoder.**

He placed the device on the vault lock and pressed a button, "Too much power can easily blind a weak person," Felix said as he waited for the device to decode the vault's combination. " **And that power is money** , too much money can blind the person's conscience, causing them to turn greedy and became careless of their actions…"

At last, the device had successfully unlocked the safe and the giant money vault popped open.

Perkins is just frozen at the middle of the room, helplessly watching Felix as he enters the vault and swiftly take all his money and puts them in his bag black travel bag.

Within a few minutes, Felix had got all the money inside his vault. He snatched his automatic lock decoder on the vault door and placed it back to his bag.

"Also, too much power can turn you irresponsible…" Felix said, **"Which is why I'm taking this 'power' away from you for now on…"** then, he went to the door and left the office, leaving the frozen Perkins freezing to death.

Then, the next thing happened is a deafening sound of the security alarm filled the entire bank. Felix must've activated the alarm to arrest Perkins.

The alarm continuously went on until the police entered the bank and shut it down.

And then, the next went on and on until when the Anti-Villain League entered the office and took charge of crime scene.

* * *

After watching the entire security footage, Lucy and Ramsbottom went upstairs to the second floor where Perkins' office is located.

The two remained quiet, still surprised of the video they just watched. Ramsbottom thought of the warning that Felix wrote on his painting that he left at the Ellis museum.

" **This is Just the Beginning** " is this what Felix meant?

A few of the AVL agents flocked the office as well, studying some few clues that the suspect left behind; most especially the vault where the money was taken.

As Ramsbottom looked around, Lucy stepped closer him, "Now do you believe me, sir?"

"If you're talking about Gru is not the one who robbed the bank and it's Felix instead, please kindly save it…" Mr. Ramsbottom began who is now staring at the painting of Perkins' painting of the imperial throne version.

"But he isn't!" Lucy said again, "Felix is the suspect and Gru's got nothing to do with it…"

"Don't lose your guard, Agent Wilde…" Ramsbottom shoot back, "Don't forget that Felix used your husband's freeze ray as a homicide weapon, that thing could've killed him. Now, Mr. Perkins is suffering from **intense hypothermia**."

Lucy stayed silent for a while. She remembered the time she got here and saw Mr. Perkins inside the ambulance, shivering uncontrollably on the stretcher. The poor man's body is too old and sensitive to take such sudden change of temperature.

"And doesn't it look odd that Felix was able to enter the Bank of Evil **without even registering as their client?"** Ramsbottom added, puzzled.

"But it's Felix who did it, not Gru!" Lucy urged.

"Stop defending him, Lucy!" Ramsbottom answered back, "I told you since day one of our investigation that Gru is Felix's accomplice. And we got evidence:

First, the minion's involvement in the Liberty scam, Second, your husband's cellphone in Felix's clutches and Now, his freeze ray gun in Felix's use…"

" **But what if Felix got those things from him to put the blame on Gru?"** Lucy said, trying to lighten the situation.

"That can be possible…" Mr. Ramsbottom said, slightly convinced. "But having his possessions almost every time… **it sounded more like Gru is purposely giving it to Felix than stealing it from him…"**

"But, Mr. Ramsbottom…" Lucy was about to protest when her boss interrupted her.

"Stop right there, Agent…" he said, "I don't have anyone to trust in this investigation except you. I know it's difficult for you to accept your husband's involvement in this issue, but you have to remain strong…"

Lucy frowned and avoided her boss' gaze but Ramsbottom went on: "Agent Wilde, you are the only person I could trust now. Felix is a dangerous person, and Gru is with him. If you can't solve this case for the AVL, **then at least do this is save your husband."**

Hearing that statement caught Lucy's thoughts. It's really hard to take the truth that Gru is somewhat involve in this case and she stayed in denial of it. But Felix is a formidable villain, and if she wants to get Gru out of the AVL watch list then she has no choice but to spy on Felix, save Gru from the AVL's accusation and solve the case as well.

Lucy stood straight and sighed, "Alright, I'll do it…"

Relieved, Ramsbottom nodded and muttered, "Good…"

* * *

It's a little late when Lucy and girls arrived home. The girls don't know why Lucy took so long at the bank, but all their mother could tell was it's about work and they shouldn't be worrying about it.

As the girls climbed to the stairs to get change, Lucy started to wander around the house and look for her husband, Gru.

This time, she felt confident to talk to him now. Even though she promised to Ramsbottom that she will spy on him as a second suspect, Lucy will only consider him as a victim. And like all victims, they need all the protection their can get, that way the real suspect won't get their hands on them, never again.

Lucy is about to check the living room when suddenly,

 **KABOOM!** A loud explosion rumbled the entire house.

Lucy glanced around and saw a thick black smoke coming from the kitchen door. She quickly went inside but she could barely see through the thick smoke,

"Is someone in here?" Lucy said, coughing. As the thick fog slowly dispersing, a familiar figure appeared before her. A tall bald man in his gray sweater and wearing a kitchen apron, he's all covered with black ashes and staring at a burning oven.

"Gru…" Lucy relieved to see her husband okay. "What happened here?"

"Umm, well…" Gru started with an awkward smile in his face. "I thought maybe I can make **a baked potato casserole for dinner tonight…"**

Lucy stared at her husband then she stared at the oven and noticed a black potato burning lively inside the destructed oven.

"Oh Gru…" she giggled and blushed, "you really shouldn't have. I mean, I was only late for a few minutes…"

"Well, you can't have all the work…" Gru chuckled.

Before Lucy could say anymore, a group of minions dressed in fire fighter gears stormed into the smoky kitchen.

First, a minion crashed through a wall near the door with a pair of axes. The wild minion began to chop everything in his way, the chairs, half of the table and even a wall that lead him outside of the lawn.

Second is a minion with a water hose, he began to spray water everywhere, even to Gru who is all covered of ashes.

And lastly is a minion with a three fire siren sticking on his head came out of the kitchen door. **"Bee-doo, Bee-doo, Bee-doo, Bee-doo…"** he sounded like a usual fire alarm along with a megaphone.

Lucy is all quiet and just staring at the chaos before her when Gru's voice caught their attention.

" **Alright, ENOUGH!"** the annoyed Gru shouted out. The minions looked at their master, surprised.

But Gru just pinched his nose bridge and sighed heavily. "Okay, you three…" Lucy said to them, noticing her husband's stress, "We'll take it from here, thanks for the help…"

The two fire fighter minions quickly strolled away from the kitchen while their alarm-system minion follows them, continuously saying his "Bee-doo" alarm.

"Don't worry, Gru…" Lucy said to her wet-dripping husband, "I'll get some towel for you…" then, she kissed him on his cheek, "Thanks for trying to make dinner…"

Gru just smiled back and blushed, "You're quiet welcome, darling…"

Lucy smiled back as she left the kitchen. And also surprised, it's nice too see Gru in his lighter side, that guy could barely have any peace of mind this time around. And she hopes that he can still be in his lighter mood if she questions him about Felix's involvement on him.

As she is about to walk up the stairs, she spotted Dr. Nefario in front a small closet under the stairs. "Hey, there!" she greeted him.

Nefario jerked up his head, surprised. "Oh, hi…" he said.

Lucy noticed him pushing his hand against the door of the closet. It seemed that its overstuffed with something. "What you got there?" She asked, curious.

"Well, nothing much…" he chuckled, pushing the door closed even harder.

Lucy looked at him, suspiciously. **Is he trying to hide something from her?**

"C'mon…" Lucy said, trying to sound casual. "That looks like a heavy load. Here, let me give you a hand…"

But the old doctor blocked her before touching the closet. "No, I'm fine, thank you…" Nefario urged.

Lucy has a bad feeling about this, she remembered about what her boss said about the people that Gru makes contact with. And what is their involvement on Felix if there's any.

She noticed that Nefario is feeling tired on holding the door closed. The thing behind that door must be heavy.

Lucy felt determined to find out. "Oh, come on now…" she said again, "I bet there's nothing odd about this closet…"

"No, wait…" Nefario protested. Being a little forceful, Lucy ignored him and carefully shoved him away.

And the closet door popped open and **a giant pile of cash burst out of it** , burying the shocked Lucy under it.

"Uh-huh…" Nefario gulped as Lucy struck her head out of the mountain of cash and looked around her.

Not only the cash that surprised her, a familiar rounded-shaped device slid over the stacks of cash before her, the same device that Felix used to decode the vault back at the bank.

"What?" Lucy stammered, still stunned. Then, she turned her head to Nefario who is also stunned. "How? **Where did you get these?!"**

* * *

At the other hallway, Gru removed his kitchen apron and looked at himself. "I looked like a walking sweat rag…" he grumbled.

As he tries to squeezes the water away from his sleeves, someone ranged the door bell.

He looked up, puzzled and checked his watch, **"It's already 7:30** , who could be at this hour?" he asked himself.

The door bell ranged again. "Okay, okay! I'm coming…" Gru called out, slightly annoyed over this impatient visitor.

He strolled through the hallway and to the main door. Before opening the door, he looked at himself again. "And I'm going to welcome a visitor in this mess?" Gru sighed in annoyance, still dripping wet in his soaked sweater.

Again, the door bell ranged.

Gru is becoming irritated and finally opens the door. "You can stop playing with that bell because I'm-"

Before he could finish his sentence, he looked around and saw no one is there, the night is dark and the road in front is empty.

"Great…" he grumbled, "I'm been pranked…"

"Actually, I'm pretty darn serious…" a familiar Spanish voice spoke.

Gru looked down and saw a small young boy, **"You!"** he gasped in total shock.

He knows this boy very well: That hair as black as his leather jacket, that charming, smoldering gaze that can charm any girls and that wickedly alluring Spanish accent.

"It is been awhile, amigo…" Antonio said with a smile. "I'm sorry for being so late but I have returned to see **mi novia…"**

 **END OF CHAPTER SEVEN**

* * *

 **Author's note:** Thank you once more for checking out this chapter, I really appreciate that!

Whew! A lot has been going around in this chapter, and things will get even more complicating now that Margo's crush, Antonio came around (or at least for Gru, that is…)

And also, because of my frequently late-upload issues, **I will not yet put any sneak peeks for upcoming chapters in this specific fanfic.** But I will continue this story, this one maybe slow in updates, but I'll keep on putting more chapters until Lucy and Dr. Nefario finds the real connection between Felix and Gru.

So keep on updating, commenting, posting critic (if any) and faving too.

Thanks again and see you in the next chapter.


	9. No More

**CHAPTER EIGHT: NO MORE**

"What was that?!" Agnes exclaimed when they felt a powerful explosion around their bedroom.

"It's coming from downstairs…" Edith answered and was about to open the door to check what was going on. And as she opens the door, a minion with a fire fighther's helmet blocked her way.

"No…" he said and stared at Edith with alertness, "Cocolo brutata gah!" (Don't worry, stay where you are, We got this covered!)

As he said so, the fireman minion closed the door and joined his other firemen minions to put out the explosion.

"What did he said?" Margo asked, still holding her cellphone on her hand.

"Beats me? Stay here, I guessed" Edith shrugged.

Margo looked at Agnes who looked a bit worried. "Don't worry, Agnes…" she comforts her, she kneeled beside her and gently pats her back, "the minions are there now, and I bet things will be okay. Gru will be fine…"

Agnes looked down for a moment and nodded. She smiles back to her big sister and goes back on playing her stuffed unicorn doll.

Then, Margo stood up, walks to the nearest chair and sat on it. She puts up her phone and started tapping her thumb on its screen.

Edith studied her looks. Margo frowned and she sensed that there's something bothering her on that phone, then she noticed Margo groaned.

"Let me guess: Antonio again?" Edith interrupted.

Margo looked up and answered with a sigh: "Yeah…"

Edith crossed her arms and said: "Why do you even bother checking him on your phone? You're making the situation even worst…"

Margo stared at her sister, confuse. "What're you talking about?"

"I'm saying that you should stop giving attention to this guy," Edith finally said, "That guy hurt you big time, **and he has no right to hang out with you again…"**

"Of course he hurt me big time," Margo defended, "I know that and you don't have to tell me…"

"Then, stop looking at that phone…" Edith walked across the room and went to her bed, "Trust me, that guy got instinct. And I bet he knows that you're looking at your phone right now…"

As Edith climbs to her bed and rest for awhile, Margo started to get lost in thought.

Deep inside her, **she still likes Antonio.**

She still longing for his warm company, his gorgeous smile, his twinkling dark eyes and his captivating Spanish voice.

Still, Margo has to remind herself how Antonio broke her heart when she saw him dancing with a more attractive girl of her age. And she couldn't help but to felt sorry for herself for making a mistake falling in love with him.

Margo couldn't understand what she's feeling right now. **She feel angry** because Antonio is behaving like a stalker and tries to win her back, but at the same time, **she feels happy** because the boy of her dreams is now coming back to her, desperately looking for her love once more.

But can Margo trust a boy with such weaknesses? And how can she be sure that Antonio is coming back for her love **or for something else?**

Margo sighed and leaned over her chair. Again, she looked at her phone, checking the messages Antonio is been sending her recently:

 _Hi Margo, How are you doing?_

 _Hi Margo, I hope this is still your number. Can we talk?_

 _Margo, I love you so much but you're not giving me a chance to love me, please don't make this difficult…_

 _Margo, I'm sorry for what I have done but please give me a chance. Meet me at the Paradise mall at 6:00pm, I'll be at the Stuff-a-bear shop at the second floor._

 _Margo, I've waited for you all day long and you didn't show up. I was expecting you, please don't ignore me. What happened that time at the party didn't make me feel bad at all…_

 _Margo, please give me a chance. It's not a big deal making friends with another girl…_

Seeing the last three messages made Margo lose her cool, _**"Now he's doing reverse psychology on me…"**_ Margo thought, annoyed. The last three text messages defines how Antonio being a selfish jerk. She was the one who got hurt by him, and now, Antonio is reasoning with her like she was the culprit, the bad guy of the issue and **the main enemy of the scene.**

In other words, **Antonio only thinks about his self-worth rather than others.** Maybe he knows he was wrong but instead of putting down his pride and say sorry, he rather condemns his victim as the culprit of his emotional wounds.

" _How can I forgive this guy if he's blaming me for the mistake he'd caused?!"_ Margo thought in confusion and disbelief. _"He's the one who hurt my feelings! And now he's asking forgiveness and blaming me_ _ **at the same time?!"**_

Stressed, Margo puts away her phone on the nearby table, jumped out of her seat and stared out of the window.

She looked up at the night sky as the full moon shines brightly like a lamp post on the middle of the dark with stars sparkles like crystals.

Margo went into another deep thought again. This wasn't the first time she got hurt emotionally. When Gru gave them back to Miss Hattie's Home for the Girls, she couldn't forgive herself on trusting him.

Though, she did said once that **he will never be their father** during their first day with him, she grew fond of him as he took them at the Super Silly Funland park, reads them bedtime stories, playing afternoon tea with them and even fixing a more comfortable bedroom.

Just like Antonio, at first she fell into Gru's charms of becoming a perfect father but it shattered when he suddenly decided to give them back to the orphanage, and it broke her heart big time.

But she found forgiveness when he returned for them when they got captured by Vector, he also surrendered his beloved moon just to bring them back safely from him, and he even risked his life to save them by crossing a tight rope wire and almost fall into his death, **or at least they both fall and the minions quickly save them!**

Indeed, Gru won her trust again, and her sisters' too. She just thought that hopefully Antonio would do the same, **show that he really cares that way she has a reason to go back to him.**

She was still lost in thought when the door bell downstairs rang.

"Who is that?" Agnes said, curious.

"Maybe it's the newspaper guy?" Edith guessed, still relaxing on bombshell bell.

" **In the middle of the night?"** Margo told Edith, puzzled. Then, the door rang again, and again and again.

"Oh no!" Agnes exclaimed in fright. She hugged her unicorn doll, jumped on her bed and cover herself under her blanket.

Edith looked up. "What's the matter?" she asked Agnes.

" **Maybe that's Ms. Hattie…"** she answered, her voice trembling. "She must've come and fetch us again…"

Edith and Margo looked at each other then they stared at Agnes. The poor little girl is still traumatized of their head owner of their orphanage.

Ms. Hattie must be one of the meanest women on earth. While they were still in her orphanage, she is always grumpy, short-tempered and has a horrible way of disciplining her girls such as putting them in a lonely box called **"the box of shame"** and locking it up inside of her dark office space.

Agnes can still recall the moment when Gru finally adopted them as daughters, it was a dream come true and a beautiful day of freedom from their evil head mistress. But she felt sad when a few days after their adoption, Gru gave them away and it hurt her pretty bad. And now she hopes Gru is not doing it again…

"I don't wanna go back to that orphanage **EVER** …" Agnes said fearfully, still hiding over her blankets.

Sensing her fear, Margo walked towards her bed and gently removed the blankets off of her dark towering ponytail. "Hey, don't be afraid…" she said and stares at Agnes' troubled eyes. "Mr. Gru loves us and he can never give us back to that Hattie…"

"Y-you think so?" Agnes stammered.

" **Well, he wouldn't be coming back for us from Vector if he doesn't care about us, does he?"** she respond with a smile, which made Agnes feel a lot better.

"Um, guys…" Edith suddenly interrupted; her eyes stare out of the window, "You gotta see this…"

Margo went beside Edith while Agnes jumped out of her bed and joins them.

"Well, the good news is it's not Miss Hattie…" Edith started, still looking down at the window along with her two sisters, "the bad news is it's someone else…"

Margo followed her gaze and peers out of the window. The half moon shines its light upon their dark neighborhood from its black starry sky but as she looked down at their front lawn **she saw Antonio running out of the doorstep and behind him is Gru.** Their angry father chases after her ex-crush, scaring him away with a strange bladed weapon that looked a lot like a sword.

"Whoa!" Agnes cried, surprised at the commotion outside.

"Yeah! Go get him, Mr. Gru…" Edith cheered behind the window, enjoying the sight of her father swinging that sword at her sister's rude crush.

Margo felt stunned. _Was he coming for me?_

She slowly walks away from the window, trying to process her thoughts. Despite her hatred towards him, she wanted to give him another chance. But how can she give a chance to a guy who blames her for being somewhat selfish?

The mixed feelings totally confuse her and instinctively, she hurried to the door and down the stairs, leaving her two sisters behind the window.

As she came across the hallway, Antonio was no more in sight except for Gru who marched back at the house and closed the door behind him. Behind her, Dr. Nefario appeared into the hallway.

"What happened?" He asked breathlessly, "I heard you shouting…"

"It's nothing…" Gru said, still carrying his sword which he used to scare away Antonio, **"Just some kids playing pranks…"** he pulled out a long black cane-looking stick from the umbrella holder and puts his sword back into it, making it looked like a British walking cane with a gold-rounded globe on it.

"Margo…" Gru didn't seem to notice her there.

"W-what're doing down here?" he asked trying to sound as casual as possible.

"I…I…" Margo wasn't sure how to answer; she doesn't want him to notice that she came down to see Antonio. And so she decided to change the subject. "You're all wet?" she noticed on Gru.

Her father looked at himself. His grey sweater is all wrinkled with soaking water. "Yeah, Gru… What happened there?" Nefario noticed it too.

Gru avoided his gaze. "Like I said, kids with awful water pranks…" he rise up his arm and shook from the excess water from his wet sleeve.

Margo looked at Gru for a moment. He seemed to be in a bad mood and keeps Antonio's visitation a secret. She wonders what Antonio did to make her father go wild earlier.

Then, Lucy came running towards that group. "Gru…" she called out, panting. "What's going on? Did someone…" before she could speak some more, something caught her eye. In Gru's hand, a familiar black cane with a golden globe-shaped on its top. Lucy knew that cane and stunned.

Gru noticed her shock and quickly hid the black cane behind him. "Um, What were you saying?" Gru began. Lucy blinked and stares at Gru, "Well, I ummm…." She started with an awkward smile on her face.

Margo watched them both. Her parents seemed to act a little odd this time. Her father hid that cane when her mother came in, Lucy started out confidently with her words but she suddenly became insecure and couldn't start out straight again.

Even Dr. Nefario looked strange too. He stares at Lucy for a long time, without even saying anything, as if he was afraid to speak up.

Finally, after a long moment of awkward silence, Nefario spoke up, "Hey, Gru..." he turns to him. "Remember that strawberry supply that we got, we need to discuss about its disposal…"

Gru looked at him and then he lowered down his gaze as he faces Lucy again, "Oh yes, Now I remember…" he said.

He stares back at Lucy and this time, he noticed her confused look. Gru couldn't help but to frown.

Before things get complicated, Nefario grabbed his arm and dragged him away from the scene. "Come on, Gru…" he said impatiently. "We got to hurry…"

"Of course…" Gru replied hesitantly. The two went through the hallway as Gru took a single glance at Lucy who seemed very puzzled. Then, the two men disappear as they go further to the staircase.

Margo watches as her father left his baffled wife. She noticed her dumbfounded state and approaches her. "Is anything alright?" she calmly said.

Lucy blinked in surprise and looked over her adopted eldest, "Oh, Margo…" she said, smiling. "Yeah, everything's fine… Except your dad just yelled at someone I don't know, do you saw who it is?"

Now, it's Margo's turn to look speechless. She saw who just came to visit, but Gru remain silent about it, and she wants to do the same too, reminding herself about the reality of her ex-crush's visitation really disturbs her.

" **No…"** she said, trying to sound casual. "I just got here when Gru came back inside…"

Lucy stared at her for a moment. Margo noticed this and looked away, trying to avoid her gaze. "Margo, I know there's something weird is happening here, but if you feel free about it… Please don't bother telling me, okay?" she muttered, kneeling next her, puts her hands on the girl's shoulder and smiled warmly to her.

Margo looks at her mother and smiled back, "Thanks…" she embraced her mother, and Lucy hugged her back. It's nice that their single father had finally found a wife. Despite being adopted, she feels as if she was born in this family, with a normal loving father and a normal loving mother.

Then, their silence broke when Margo's cell phone rang, the two released from their embrace and she stared at her phone. "Speaking of contacting…" Lucy started, "I'm going to make a phone call. You go ahead and relax upstairs; The minions and I will go and make dinner…"

"Alright…"Margo answered back. Then, the two went through the hallway and went to separate ways. Margo went to the other stairs while Lucy went to the other hallway here another stair is built and under it is a small closet, with a giant pile of green cash flooded through it.

Lucy couldn't believe it. Silas was right, **Gru is working with Felix,** and he's using Dr. Nefario as part of his sinister plans.

Lucy pulled out her cell phone and was ready to dial his boss. But the thought of her husband's well-being stopped her. Surely after making the call, Silas will immediately order an arrest warrant and put Gru into custody, a very strict custody whereas he will be interrogated or worst, terminate him as a secret agent and arrest him as a most wanted villain.

Then she remembered what Silas had said about the involvement between Gru and Felix. If she can't solve this case for the AVL, then at least she can solve this to save her husband.

But the question is: **But at what price?**

If it's true that Gru works with Felix, how can she be sure that the AVL will treat him fairly?

Confusion and fear were beginning to blur her thoughts as she stares blankly on her cell phone screen where Silas' name and his caller photo illuminated in it.

Lucy sighed and puts her cell phone back to her pocket. "I'll tell Silas after I get a word with Nefario…" she told herself. Then, she kneeled before the cluttered cashes on the floor and puts them back to the closet. She closed it shut and locked it with a random padlock. _"This will be kept as evidence…"_ she thought.

Meanwhile at the girl's bedroom, Edith and Agnes looked at Margo as she stepped inside. "Margo…" Agnes came to her sister, her voice sounded worried "What happened?"

" **Did Gru kill him?"** Edith asked her with an excited smile on her face.

"Er… No…" Margo replied, slightly felt weird at Edith's question. "But everything's alright…" then she held out her phone. As she gazed down to the screen, a text message from Antonio glows on the screen.

Margo walks passed the girls and went to her bedside, she taps her thumb on the screen and checked the message:

 _Margo, Can we please talk? Meet me at the Paradise mall tomorrow at 3pm, right near the fountain area_

* * *

The next morning, the three girls went off for **an after-school mall tour** at the Paradise mall.

Margo told her parents that maybe they could have a little break from school, but didn't told them about her meeting with Antonio.

Her two parents agreed. Gru passed on their cash allowances to buy some **"useless mall junk"** , as he would describe it! While Lucy made a deal with them that they shouldn't go without someone to go with, things around town are getting mysteriously dangerous, **especially with a new villain around.**

After school, Margo, Edith and Agnes took Kevin and Stuart along, as Lucy requested, and the five ventures into the Paradise Mall.

The place is completely decorated with Halloween ornaments. Every store had their own style of looking scary and attractive to shoppers. The Stuff-a-bear has a limited edition **Stuff-a-vampire doll** ; a flower shop decorate her roses with tiny tombstones with tiny pumpkins or skulls beside it, **there's even a dyed roses of orange and black,** the Halloween's theme color; and even Floyd's wig shop has a fake skeleton dummy displayed beside his entrance door, **complete with a fancy blond wig over its skull.**

The girls and their minions explore the mall with excitement and amazement. They went into a costume store where Edith bought a new set of Ninja stars or **Japanese shurikens** to complete her ninja costume, Agnes also got a beautiful fairy princess costume to wear for her trick-or-treating. Margo also bought herself a witch costume just to join the celebration.

The group passed by a branded boutique and Agnes wowed on a beautiful fur scarf that is on a mannequin behind a shop window, Agnes begged Margo to get her the scarf but she refused, "That thing's too expensive…" she said.

Stuart went to a window of a music shop where a brand-new electric ukulele is being display, the one-eyed minion stared at it with astonishment and desire while Kevin sighed ironically. The last time he gave him a nifty electric ukulele was during his knighthood ceremony, and he destroyed it due to his carelessness.

Next, they decided to go to a bookstore. Kevin and Stuart doesn't like going into boring places like that so they just stay behind the shop door and wait for them come out.

As Margo explores the shelf, something caught her eye. At the adult book section, two shelves away from hers, Dr. Nefario is browsing among the books and picked up something called **Exorcism: How to ward off Ghost, Demons and other Paranormal Beings** **,** and puts it in his shopping basket.

" _What's Dr. Nefario doing here?"_ Margo thought. Curious, she followed him.

Then, Nefario went to the art section where he got three jars of red, yellow and black acrylic paints. But before he could go to the cash register, a small girl popped up beside him with her tall dark ponytail.

"Hey Dr. Nefario!" she blurted, with a box of crayons in her tiny hands.

The old doctor gasped in shock and gazed down at her, "Agnes, Oh it's just you…" he said, relieved.

"Whatcha' doin here?" she asked with her cute curious eyes.

"Well, ummm…I…" he stammered, then he changed the subject. "How 'bout you? What are you doing here?"

"We came to shop here…" she smiled innocently.

"We?" he asked, confused.

Then, Margo appeared and answered him for her, "We just wanna shop around here…" Nefario glanced up and saw her.

"So what are you really doing here?" Margo asked, who is also curious.

Nefario scratches his head as he thought of a better answer, "well, same as you do… shopping around here…."

Margo felt something unsure about Dr. Nefario, he acts a little jumpy and seems out of focus. As if he felt that there's danger around him and he doesn't want the girls around.

Margo was about to say something until she felt someone held her hand, she looked back and saw Antonio. "Margo, there you are…" he said calmly. "I knew you would come…"

"You…" Margo looked shocked. The reason why she wants to come here in the first place is to see this young boy again. Even though this boy hurt her feelings, deep inside she wants to come back to him,

But she had to make sure that this boy really changed, so she hopes maybe this meeting would give her the confirmation.

"Senyor…" Antonio gestured to the old doctor, "May I borrow her for awhile?" But before Nefario could say a word, Margo went off with Antonio. Agnes just watched in shock as her eldest sister walks away with her ex-crush.

As they went through the shop door, Edith saw them and was about to stop them, but they already went far and disappeared.

Nefario and Agnes also went to near the shop door and spotted Edith. "Dr. Nefario…" she said, surprised to see him. "Edith…" he said, "I see you're here too, Where's Margo?"

"She went out with that guy…" Edith points at the door. Her voice sounded alerted, worried about her sister's safety.

Kevin and Stuart enter the shop and spotted the three. Just like everyone, they too were surprised of Dr. Nefario's presence, but what's more shocking was Margo coming out of the door with the son of the former super villain El Macho.

"Quick! We gonna go follow them…" Edith suggested which everyone agreed. But before they could reach to the door, two hands held on Nefario and Agnes' shoulders. "Before you go…" said the shop employee, **"You need to pay for our supplies…"**

Nefario and Agnes looked at the employee then glanced down onto their unpaid items that they picked awhile ago.

"Oh of course…" Dr. Nefario let out an awkward chuckle. As Edith waited for their items to get punctured, the two minions went out of the shop and followed Margo and Antonio.

In the fountain area, you can get a good view of the mall here. It doesn't show much of the entire mall, but the glass dome of the building is really breathtaking as you can see the beautiful blue sky above.

Margo and Antonio stood on the spot where they first met, right near the fountain. "Margo…" Antonio started, still holding her hand.

Margo stared at him blankly. Antonio hasn't changed at all, he still got that dark, swaggish hair, his same black jacket, his purple shirt with his dark grey scarf around his neck. And his brown eyes still got that charm.

"Margo, I need to tell you something…" he said, "About what happened back at the dance party…"

Stating that, Margo suddenly felt disappointed. Again, she recalls the frustration after she saw the boy of her dreams being smitten by a much attractive girl. "So what?" she grumbled, pulling her hand away from his grip. "You don't have to tell me anything… what happened back there is enough for me to understand…"

"That's the thing…" Antonio said, remembering the time when he was dancing with another girl. And then, he grabbed her two hands and said, "Margo, I know I hurt you **but that doesn't mean you have to leave me like that…"**

Margo glanced at him, surprised. What the heck is he talking about?

"You can't just run away like that because I just met a girl... I mean, I'm just making friends…" Antonio explained. "Margo, I know you got hurt **but you have no idea how deep my hurt was when you ran away from me…"**

Margo couldn't believe her ears. She was right! All those text messages, he is trying to point her as the bad person.

As Margo's thoughts races by, a warm hand cups her cheeks and faces her to its owner.

Antonio held his hand around her face and stares at her eyes, "But I love you, Margo… That's why I don't feel any hurt from you. **No matter how many times you hurt me, I will always love you…"**

Then, he grabs her hand and placed it onto his beating chest, "Margo, will you be **mi novia** once more?"

Margo just stares at him, confusion and anger begins to cloud her mind. He heard some few things from her father about a villain named El Macho who is also Antonio's father, and just like his dad also known as Eduardo, Antonio is so stubborn, impatient and selfish.

All she wants is to admit his mistakes for replacing her by another girl, that's the reason why she agreed to come into this place. But seeing Antonio hasn't change at all and instead, blames her for her so-called mistake, it's obvious that she made the wrong choice on coming here.

"You….I…." she gulped and looked up at Antonio, tears pouring out from her eyes.

Antonio thought she finally understands and felt relieved. He smiles warmly and wipes away her tears with his fingertips. "It's okay, mi novia…" he said, sounded sincere. **"I forgive you…"**

"I…" Margo struggled for words, then she groaned, **"I'm not your novia…"**

Antonio looked surprised. "What?"

"You heard me…" Margo said, her teary eyes glared at him, "You can't forgive me because **I'VE DONE NOTHING WRONG TO YOU!"**

The stunned Antonio let go of her hands and slowly backed away, seeing Margo's sudden reaction. "What are you saying?" he said, confused.

"How dare you…" Margo growled, her fists clenched, **"How dare you blame me for what happened that night!"**

Antonio looked shocked. He never saw Margo pull out a terrible angry behavior on someone.

"Margo, I know you love me… **and you should understand how awful I felt when you left me!"** he protested, sounding like the victim of the scene.

" **NO!"** Margo snarled, trying to put up a brave face despite her crying eyes.

"Margo, please…" Antonio begged.

Margo and Antonio's voices caught the attention of the most of the shoppers, including Kevin and Stuart who just entered the scene. They stopped as they saw Margo and Antonio fighting words besides the beautiful fountain.

Antonio reached out his hand and begs some more, "Calm down, mi amore…" he calmly whispered to Margo, who is now shivering in anger, "I already forgiven you, Margo… There's no need to be ashamed of…"

" **No more!"** Margo cried, more tears streams from her eyes. "No more… I can't take this anymore… **I am not your mi amore and I am not going to let you get the better of me!"**

Kevin and Stuart just stared while Agnes and Edith rushed into the crowd and watches the scene.

Antonio looks up to Margo, who is still standing there, shivering and sobbing intensely. "Margo, please…" he said and slowly approaches to her, "I have forgiven you… That's all that matters, **please don't make this wrong again…"**

But before he could even touch her, Edith pushes him aside while Agnes protectively hugs her elder sister.

"You stay away from her!" Edith threatens him, standing between him and Margo. "You broke her heart back at that party and you accused her for that?! **You really are a jerk!"**

Antonio starts to walk away while Edith glares at him with her fiery gaze. "Please, calm down…"

"Aw, **I'll calm you down,** after I place these knuckles onto your nose!" Edith balls up her fist and ready to punch it onto his face.

Feeling outnumbered, Antonio begins to run off, passing through the curious crowd and left the sisters at the fountain area.

Seeing the person disappears, Edith sighed in relief. "That nerve of that creep…" she grumbles and went to see Margo who is now sitting besides the fountain railing. Agnes sat next to her and so does Edith.

" **You okay?"** Agnes asked with her small pack of crayons in her tiny hands.

Margo shook her head in reply. She removes her glasses and wipes her tears off with her jacket sleeve.

" **Did that guy hurt you?"** Edith asked.

She shook her head again. Margo placed her glasses back onto her face.

" **Wanna go someplace else?"** Agnes asked again, trying to find comfort for her sister.

But again, she shook her head and stares down with her red puffy eyes.

The three went quiet when the minions appeared next to them. They saw the whole thing and were shocked about the outcome. Antonio not only hurt her once but twice this time!

Seeing their master's daughter suffers from despair, Kevin thought of an idea to cheer her up. He pulled Stuart beside him and whispers something to him. Stuart nodded and liked the idea.

The two minions went off for awhile and get some stuff, leaving the girls for a few seconds. Then, the minions return with Stuart all dressed up in a little black dress, a yellow moping rag on his head and messy ketchup stains as his lipstick.

The girls saw this and stared. Then, Stuart pulls out a ukulele with a price tag hanging on its neck. He begins to strum it and plays along, and then he starts singing his own song version of **"Blank space"** and cosplaying as Taylor Swift at the same time.

Kevin and Stuart thought it would be better if they cheer Margo up by singing something that can relate to Margo's situation and do it in rather entertaining way.

But Kevin and the girls looked at him even weirder. Stuart maybe singing a Taylor Swift song but his playing the ukulele like a mentally-disturbed rock star, **he starts head-banging, jumping, crawling and tongue-flipping while playing the chorus.** Then, when his song is ending, he ended it up by smashing and destroying the unpaid ukulele his playing.

And that's not all, the crazy minion dressed as Taylor Swift even swings the remaining parts of the ukulele and gets crashed through a nearby coffee shop window.

The shocked girls stare at him while Kevin shook his head in dismay, "Keme polatoh… (This is reason why I will never get him another ukulele again…) Kevin thought.

" **TA-DAAAH…"** the tired Stuart exclaims as he fixes his Taylor Swift costume.

Suddenly, the broken ukulele comes back and hits Stuart at the head. The impact loses his balance and fell flat on the floor.

Kevin and the girls gasped, surprised. Then, they move their eyes on a tall man standing behind Stuart. Kevin knows this man and twitched in fright, **It's Felix Grudgeman.**

The tall dark haired man stares down at Stuart who is still unconscious. **"That's for hitting me with your flying miniature guitar…"** he said to him, rubbing his red swelling forehead where the broken ukulele had landed.

"Hey now…" Edith said and walks closer to the tall green-suited gentleman that looks a lot like Gru. "You just hit our friend here, **who do you think you are?"**

Then, Felix kneels down and stares at Edith with his frowning green eyes, **"And who are you to raise your voice like that?"** he asked in a deep cold tone.

The tough blond girl gulped as Felix's glare narrows, then suddenly he starts to chuckles, "I'm just messing with you, of course I know who you are, **Edith** …" he said.

Edith looks up, slightly frightened. "How did you know my name?" she asked. Agnes and Margo looked up, also surprised by this stranger.

"Oh, I know many things…" Felix flashed a friendly smile, "But you're too young to understand so I'll let your mom do the talking for me…"

" **Wait, you know about Lucy?"** Margo appears next to Edith.

"Like I said," Felix stares at Margo. **"I know many things…"**

Before the conversation continues, Nefario interrupts and went next to Felix. "Felix…" he called out.

"Nefario?" Margo cried, surprise to the old doctor.

" **Margo? Girls?"** Nefario looked at them, then he looked at Felix, "What are you…"

Then, Felix saw his shopping items in his shopping basket. He pulls out a squared item wrapped in brown paper, he tears it open and sighed in relief, "How to ward off Ghost, Demons and other Paranormal Beings..." he said, reading some parts of the book title.

Margo looked at Nefario while he looks back, avoiding their gaze. _**"Does he know this guy?"**_ she thought, curious.

"Well done, Nefario…" Felix puts back the book into his shopping basket, "that's just the book I need, Come along…" he said. Together with Dr. Nefario, the two men went away leaving the girls and the minions behind them.

Margo just watches at them as they walk further away across the mall. But before she turns away, Felix calls out: "Oh, excuse my curiosity, **Little Margo…"**

Margo turns her head, her eyes wide open, _He knows who I am?_

"But that young Hispanic boy earlier, who is he to you?" he asked.

"I… It's nothing…." Margo answered, looking away.

"Exactly…." Felix went back to Margo and kneels down before, meeting his eyes on hers.

" **He is nothing!** And what you did back there is a very brave move…" he remarked but Margo just stand there, her eyes still turns away from his.

"Many girls are prone to insecurity and wish to stay quiet about it…" Felix said sincerely and places his fingerless-gloved hands onto her shoulder. "But you, you stood what you believe is right and **spoke it boldly before him…"**

Margo turns her gaze at last and stares onto his warm green eyes. "I rarely see a strong young woman in this world nowadays…"

"I…." Margo said, slightly flattered by Felix's remarks. "It wasn't bravery, I kinda did that 'cuz I'm angry and scared…"

" **And you chose to let it all out rather than keeping that to yourself…"** Felix muttered. "I don't see that as a show of weakness, you showed to that boy that you are not the same person that he can fooled with…"

Margo suddenly felt calm; her eyes stopped tearing up and that heavy feeling after that encounter with Antonio suddenly lighten up. She strangely felt comfort with this weird British Gru-lookalike.

" **I see a strong independent young lady before me,** " Felix said with a warm smile, then he slowly stands up from his knees and playfully rubs Margo's brunet head. "Continue your brave adventures, **Lady Margo.** I believe this won't be your last encounter with that boy and I believe fully in your courage…"

Then, he stopped rubbing her hair and glances to her sisters beside her. "You are very supportive to your sister, and I admire that… Keep supporting each other. Especially you, Edith…" he looked at her with a confident smirk, **"I rely on your knuckles…"**

"Hehehe don't worry, that guy will taste real pain if he gets Margo…" Edith boasted and proudly raised her fists.

Felix laughed heartily, "I'm sure he will…" then, he turns to Margo and gives her a sincere smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Margo…" he bids them goodbye and went off.

Margo stares again as she watches the British guy in a green suit walks off along with Nefario. All of a sudden, she felt calm, relief and somewhat happy to be with this guy.

This weird Gru-lookalike has this strange nice aura towards people and Margo felt that too, his simple yet heartfelt greetings to people, his friendly smile and his inspiring words. Not to mention his thick British accent is quite alluring and his looks were so strangely attractive.

Margo's cheeks went red just thinking about it.

"I wonder who is that guy…" Agnes asked as she approaches to Margo.

" **Whoever he is, he seemed to be new here** …" Edith said as she watches Felix and Nefario went to the escalator and enter his art gallery on the second floor.

"Hold on…" Edith said again, **"Didn't he say earlier that mom knows about him…"**

"Hey, you're right!" Agnes smiles brightly, "Let's go the cupcake shop and go asked Lucy…"

As the two talks, Kevin went to Stuart to help him up. The poor Stuart who is still dress as Taylor Swift staggers in pain after getting beaten up by Felix with his broken ukulele.

"C'mon, you guys… "Edith called out for their minions, "Let's get some cupcakes…"

"Eh si…" Kevin agrees, _Perhaps a nice coffee break will calm him down…_ he thought as he looks at the Stuart rubbing his painful yellow head.

Kevin pulls Stuart's dress as Edith and Agnes walks straight to the cupcake shop called **BAKE MY DAY**.

"Hey Margo, Come on…" Edith calls out to her sister who is still standing on the same spot, her face is all red and her expression looks stunned.

Margo is still stunned and stands quietly on the same spot, her cheeks still blushes.

Impatient, Edith went to Margo, grabs her arm and pulls her out of the spot.

The gang waited for them and together they entered the shop to have a nice ice-coffee, cupcakes and some little information about the mysterious guy in a green suit.

 **END OF CHAPTER EIGHT**


	10. His Betrayal

**CHAPTER NINE: HIS BETRAYAL**

Lucy always likes this cupcake shop. It's supposed to be a temporary front for her and Gru for their undercover assignment regarding to the El Macho subject, but since this shop holds wonderful and interesting memories that she and Gru spent, she asked if she can keep this shop running.

The AVL approves but since the investigation is over, they will not supply anymore financial support to keep this shop in the mall. Lucy and Gru agreed to be financially independent since his minions need more jobs aside from their boring jelly-jam business.

Lucy stands on the counter while observing her space. Her shop is completely painted with different shades of pink, yellow and violet; different cupcakes displayed everywhere in the shops, from the shop window to her counter and onto her shelves, she even has a stainless coffee brewery machine and a tea defusing machine on her table behind the counter. Indeed, this shop means a lot to her, not only because of its finest bakery and brewing equipments **but also their fond memories together.**

Then, Lucy's thoughts stops when he saw Bob came out of kitchen door, carrying a tray of cupcakes with Halloween decorations of white sugar candy skulls, orange-flavored pumpkins as icing and some with dark chocolate spiders on it.

"Awww…." Lucy muttered and stares cutely over Bob. "You made such adorable cupcakes…"

"hehehe, Tank you…" Bob blushes with bashfulness.

"Put it on the table, dear…." She instructed him, "Thanks again for helping me out, **Dave used to be here, but I can't him.** I wonder where he went…"

Bob placed the tray on a nearby table and thought, **Dave is gone missing ever since Gru came out of his hiding of his three-day lockout.** The last thing he heard is when he delivers pancakes for their master and didn't show up ever since.

Then, he noticed five familiar people outside their shop window, he runs to the glass door and stares, **It's Kevin, Stuart and the girls.** "Lucy, Lookatoo…" Bob exclaims excitedly.

Lucy saw them and welcomes them to the shop, they served them some cupcakes, iced coffees for the girls and some hot brewed coffees the minions. The gang sat relaxingly and starts taking down their sweet treats, except for Stuart who just leans over his chair with an ice pack on his head.

Bob just serve them some more cupcakes when he noticed Stuart's Taylor-Swift costume. He turns to Kevin and whispers: "Teepite looka patuta?" ( **Is she your girlfriend?)**

Kevin spits out his coffee in shock and glares at Bob, "Ew, NO!" he answered back, embarrassed and angry.

Seeing Kevin's violent reaction, Bob's emotionally sensitivity triggered. His cute face pout, his eyes watered and started to cry.

As Kevin tries to calm him down, Lucy went to the girls and served them a pitcher of iced-coffee, "Thanks, mom…" Edith said and grabs the pitcher.

Lucy smiles and looks at Margo, who just stares down blankly over her shark-shaped blueberry cupcake.

"Margo…" she said, "is there anything wrong?"

"Yeah, **he is wrong…"** Margo muttered angrily and stabbed the cupcake in a dessert fork.

"He? He who?" Lucy asked, getting worried of her adopted daughter.

"Oh!" Margo snapped back into reality and stares to her family, "Ummm, it's nothing…"

"Margo…" Lucy's voice went stern, "Is somebody bullying you at school?"

"I…well…" Margo turns away from her mother, finding a way to distract them from the issue.

Noticing how insecure her sister is, Edith finished her ice-coffee and blurted to her mom, "Antonio came in and ask her to be his girlfriend again…"

" **Edith!"** Margo cries in annoyance.

"What? You can't tell her so I did…" the impatient Edith explains.

"She asked me, so stay out of it…" Margo complains.

"If you can answer out loud in front of Antonio and everybody in the mall, **why can't you be that to her?!"** Edith shots back.

" **You two, Stop!"** Lucy exclaims, **"No fighting in front of the table…"**

As their mother said so, Edith and Margo stopped fighting and leans over their chairs with their mouths shut, their arms crossed and their frowned faces look away to each other.

Lucy sighed to relieve her stress. She sits on her chair next to Agnes and sips some of her coffee. Hearing Antonio's sudden visitation with Margo really surprised her. After arresting El Macho, the AVL puts his son in sort of reform camp where he will be re-educated. That way, he won't be influence by his father's villainous deeds.

She doesn't know how the boy escape from the camp but one thing is for sure: **He's determined to get Margo back.** And as both a mother and an agent, she will try to protect her daughter from that son of a Mexican villain.

But for now, she'll try not to bring up the whole Antonio issue, especially that Margo isn't comfortable with it yet.

"So, Agnes…" Lucy turns to her little innocent daughter, "Aside from his visit, how's the rest of the mall tour?"

"Oh, it was great!" Agnes exclaims after gulping down her last chunk of chocolate raspberry cupcake, Agnes happily explains their adventure around the mall, from getting costumes for Halloween and going to the bookstore, but she tries to ignore Antonio's visit for she also notices Margo's discomfort.

"And I saw a nice fur scarf on the window but I didn't get it cuz it's expensive…" Agnes went on as Lucy happily listens to her daughter's story. "Then we went to the bookstore and saw Dr. Nefario…"

"Nefario?" Lucy interrupted her, "You saw him?"

"Yeah, he does buy strange stuffs too…" Agnes replied.

Lucy always consider him as the another suspect. After Nefario accidentally expose the pile of cash that was stolen by Felix last night, she couldn't imagine the old man would team up with that Felix. She tried to ask him that forcefully but was interrupted when Gru shouted and went out of the door.

Even though the two are against each other in terms of Felix, **they couldn't bear seeing or even hearing Gru in peril.** So their confrontation was interrupted and has to see if Gru is okay.

"Oh yeah…" Agnes continues, "We also met someone…"

Lucy raised her brow and gave her slight stern look. "Agnes, what do I told about talking to strangers?"

"Oh he's not a stranger…" Agnes said, **"He said he knows you…"**

"Yeah, and he even talked to Margo, calling her **'brave, and bold and whatever'…"** Edith added and stares at Margo in a sarcastic way.

Margo didn't pay any attention. She grabs her cup of ice-coffee and as she sips her drink, she remembers all of the things Felix told her, and she felt nice how about it. In a strange way, she suddenly felt fond of this British guy; she oddly felt a calm friendship with his person.

"Okay…" Lucy said and turns to Agnes, "Now tell me who this guy is…"

"Well, we don't know his name…" Agnes muttered, her tall dark ponytail droops down.

"Oh…" Lucy replied blankly and took a bit of her Halloween cupcake and eats it.

Agnes thought a little, then she happily said, " **But he does know Nefario** , they even walked together as friends…"

Hearing that, the shocked Lucy spits the chewed chunk of orange cupcake and lands on Kevin's goggles, **"Aaaaaaaaah, Notta see! Notta see! (Aaaaaaaaah, I'm blinded! I'm blinded!)"** He exclaims horrifically and drops on the floor.

"Lucy!" Agnes said as she tries to comfort her coughing mother. "Is there something I said?"

"Agnes…" Lucy gave her a very serious look. She places her hands of her daughter's shoulder and asked, **"Is this person you met is British, wears a green tux and looks a lot like Gru?"**

"Y-yes..." Agnes said, looking a little scared at her mom's serious look.

" **So you do know him…"** Margo confirms, surprised by her mother's question, "When did you guys met?"

But Lucy didn't answer. She quickly stood out from her seat and grabs her trench coat on her chair.

"You kids stay here and don't let anyone in…" Lucy instructed as she flips the door sign around to **SORRY, WE'RE CLOSED** and marches out of the shop door.

Everyone went silent. Edith, Margo and Agnes exchange looks while Bob and Stuart does the same as well. Then finally, after scaring himself so much, Kevin struggles on his feet with his goggles all cleaned from Lucy's cupcake spit. He looks around the room and asked: "Eh, Watta kupa? (Eh, what just happened?)"

* * *

Lucy pulls up her coat as she marches through the crowd and went to the escalator. She didn't wait until for the escalator to take her to the top, she just simply walks across it, dodging every people on her way.

As she made it to the top, the impatient Lucy marches to Felix's art gallery and was about to enter, when suddenly, a familiar woman burst out of its door.

" _Jillian?"_ Lucy thought, surprised. The last time she saw her is when they both went to the same art gallery and drove away by Felix after causing a scene inside his art gallery. And she bet Jillian is doing the same thing. Despite of her embarrassing moment cause by him, she just can't get enough of her dream crush at all.

Lucy stands on her spot at the side of the art gallery when Felix showed up, holding up a black book of Exorcism and a spray bottle of Holy water.

"Please, Felix…" Jillian begged, her voice sounds like its breaking. "I don't care if you don't love me, but **I LOVE YOU** so please don't make this hard for me…"

Felix narrows his green eyes in annoyance. "Bloody heck, woman! Why can't you just leave me be?!" he growled.

" **Because we are meant for each other!"** Jillian shouted, everyone around his art gallery stopped and watches them. Felix frowns and glances around and noticed that she had gained their attention.

Dr. Nefario saw them too and appeared between Felix and Jillian. "Ma'am, please…" the old doctor faces her, "This isn't the good time for a confession…"

" **THIS IS** the perfect time for confession…" the infuriated Jillian blurted out and shoved the old doctor aside.

Thanks to her reflexes, Lucy catches Nefario before he hits the floor. "Lucy?" the old doctor said, surprised.

"What happened here?" Lucy asked in a blank tone.

" **Jillian just stormed in the gallery and tries to confess her love for him…"** Nefario explains as he tries to stand on his small weak legs.

Lucy stares back at the scene. This woman will never give up, does she?

"When I first laid my eyes on you back at the Ellis island, **I know you will be my one and forever** …" Jillian confesses with heart.

"Please, Felix… I barely had love by someone, so please me a chance – **HEY!"** before Jillian finish her sentence, Felix raise his bottle of Holy water and sprayed some on her face.

"Don't come any closer, you demonic entity!" Felix threatens her and flips open his book of Excorcism.

"Felix, what are you- **AH!** " Jillian squeals as Felix continues spraying Holy water at her and recites the Anti-demon prayers:

" _Fallen angels, who betrayed their Holy Father, Fear the wrath of God!_

 _Be gone, Servant of Satan and his demons, return to the world from which you came!"_

Jillian could not believe this, **is Felix referring her as the demon?**

Even the people around them couldn't believe what they're seeing. Some of them just watch in shock, others pulled out their cell phones and record this strange scene, some began to walk away and try to ignore their attentive over this crazy British guy.

Even Dr. Nefario and Lucy are shocked as well. "Good Lord…" Nefario muttered miserably as he claps his rubber-gloved hand over his forehand and shook his head in dismay.

Lucy just stares blankly over this strange awkward scene, she doesn't know if she's going to laugh or feel pity for Jillian. But one thing is for sure: **Felix is dangerous not only as a villain, but even as a mentally-demented person himself.**

" _Holy demon of Hell, Leave this woman be and return no more to this mortal world…"_ Felix cries out the prayer as he sprays more Holy water at Jillian, until he noticed that the bottle is now empty.

"Are you done now?" Jillian asked, completely drenching in Holy water.

Felix just stared at her. **"Did I vanquished it?"** he blankly asked.

"You don't have to vanquish anything, I'm not possessed, okay?" she replied, slightly offended by his question.

Seeing that the 'demon' is still inside her, he quickly throws away his empty bottle and flips more pages on the exorcism book, "I thought this is suppose to work…" Felix muttered, as he scans more Anti-demon prayers.

"Felix, please! Just listen…" Jillian cried out, her wet blond hair sways in annoyance. "Look, there's no joke around here, I'm not a demon, I'm not a servant of Hell or whatever…I'm not an awful person, **I just simply love you!"**

Felix shuts the book and stares, he begins to blush, not because of love but because of total awkwardness.

"As far as I know, God doesn't create awful people, **and now I'm thinking what kind of God who created you…"** Felix criticized, trying to look unaffected by the embarrassment.

"I know you're villain and villains don't feel love, but I won't give on you…" Jillian promises, her eyes turn red in tears, **"I will let you know that my love is greater than your fear…"**

Felix couldn't believe is ears. This irritating girl is not only distracting him but also embarrassing him in front of everyone.

" **Yeah, give her a chance, nerd!"** a random guy teases him from the crowd.

" **Way a go, Romeo…"** another random person laughs among the crowd.

" **Oooooh, Someone has a girlfriend!"** another person sang in a mocking tone.

Felix glances around the crowd as they laugh. Then, he shut his eyes and shook his head, this woman is totally ruining his reputation as a villain!

"Please, Felix…" Jillian muttered as she held his fingerless-gloved hand, "Don't hold it back, I love you and I know you love me too, there's no point hiding it…"

" **ENOUGH!"** Felix roared at her face. He tosses away the book and pulls out his black cane at the umbrella holder near the door. Nefario and Lucy gasped, knowing how dangerous that cane is.

"Felix, please calm down…" Jillian stammered. Seeing the anger on Felix's face, she slowly walks away but the angry villain follows her, his fiery eyes locks on her. "Okay, maybe you don't love me yet, but I'm pretty sure you'll understand and…"

"No, you will not understand…" Felix growled and pulls out his sword out of its cane-looking scabbard. "You won't understand **AND YOU NEVER WILL!"**

Jillian gasped, she never thought that simple thing he carries is actually a sword. Completely frightened, she was about to run away but Felix grabs her arm and pulls her to his face.

"How dare you pull a scene like that…" Felix muttered and stares angrily at her eyes. "You made look like a fool… Do you actually think I deserve you?!"

"I…I'm sorry…" Jillian tries to apologies, trying to avoid his furious face. "It's just that I fell in love with you at first sight…"

" **Love at first sight doesn't exist!"** Felix shouted and pushes her away on the floor. The crowd around them gasped in shock, they never thought Felix would treat a woman like that.

Felix forwards his step at Jillian who is now crawling away from him. "Let me tell me something that I should've told you back at that island," He said, "Just like you, I am in love right now…"

" **W-with me?"** Jillian muttered, trying not to lose hope for her love of him.

Then, Felix stabbed his sword on the tiled floor and almost hit her leg. "Of course not!" he confirms, angrily, then a strange smile creep across his face. **"I'm in love with villainy!"**

"Like I said, Love at first sight doesn't exist…" The Happy-looking Felix went on as the crowd and Jillian stares at him in shock. "At first, I don't like villainy, it's awful and dangerous. But when I committed my first crime, I learnt to love villainy...I felt great, I feel pleasure and satisfaction **by watching my victims crying, begging and dying before me!"**

Then, Felix grabs his sword, pulls it out of the tile and faces Jillian, "And you know what…" Felix's grin disappears and returns in his angry look. **"You will be one of them, too!"** He snarled and raises his sword, ready to finish her off.

Jillian screams in desperation and shielded herself with her thin arms. But before Felix could strike her **, an electrical shock struck him from behind.** He drops his sword and beginning to feel the powerful wave of electricity in his veins; he starts to shake, tremble and even dances like an electrified Michael Jackson!

After seconds of electrocution, Felix drops on the floor, smoking and completely unconscious. Then, the crowd glances at the tall carrot-haired woman with a lipstick-looking taser gun on her hand.

" **Lucy…"** Jillian muttered, surprised by her bold move against Felix.

" _Stay away from my kids…"_ she thought and places back her lipstick taser in her purse. She had enough of seeing him doing such violent actions in public, and zapping him is the best revenge she could do for entertaining her adopted kids.

As the crowd notices that the show is over, they all went away and goes to their shopping activities. Dr. Neferio went to Jillian and help her up, "I'm terribly sorry…" he said to her as sincerely as he can, "Felix didn't mean to…"

" **Don't touch me!"** the traumatized Jillian cried out, she wraps her arms around her cold wet body and walks away, shivering and scared.

Nefario watches the poor woman goes away when Lucy came beside him, looking stern. He is aware of Lucy's presence since she knows that he works with Felix, and seeing him in that show back there would really count as evidence against him.

"Um, look…" the old doctor tries to explain, but the serious Lucy said nothing. Nefario glances down at Felix, still lying unconscious on the tiled floor. Then, he faces Lucy again and gained confidence to explain some more. "Er, what you saw back there is not what you…"

Before Nefario could talk some more, **a pair of handcuffs appeared around his wrist.** "Dr. Joseph Albert Nefario… **You are arrested for being an alleged accomplice of a dangerous villain,** and you have the right to remain silent…" Lucy declared. She grabs the chain between his handcuffs and drags him away from in front of the gallery.

Dr. Nefario couldn't even struggle, his weak old arms can't budge away from her tight grip. Then, he glances behind to see Felix slowly gaining consciousness, "Ow…" he heard him grumble.

" **Felix!"** the desperate Nefario cried, **"I'm being taken, Help!"**

Felix heard him and spun around. He saw his old aged assistant being taken away by Lucy, the determined agent pulls out her cell phone from her bag and dialed on its keywords.

" **Please, Help!"** Nefario yells some more but Felix just frowned and groaned, as if his cries irritate him. Then, he slowly stands on his feet, grabs his sword on the floor and placed it back at its cane-looking scabbard.

" **Felix, I'm being arrested! Help me…"** Nefario cries some more.

"I said you have the right to remain silent…" Lucy remained him as she places her phone on her ear and waits for the call. She pulls him even harder as they reaches to the escalator and marches down quickly, passing through curious shoppers.

But Felix didn't do anything. He simply watches them as the poor old doctor being dragged away by an AVL agent, Nefario looks at him as he sighed and walks back into his art gallery and shut the doors behind him.

" _No…"_ Nefario thought in shock, " _He's letting me being taken off? Just like that?!"_

All this time, Nefario felt right about his suspicion. **Felix can never be trusted at all!** Gru replaced him by a devious villain who doesn't care about his fellow villains at all. Which leads him to another concern, if Felix can betray the old doctor, **how much more for his good friend, Gru?**

The two had reached the ground floor. Lucy pulls Nefario to the main entrances, "Hello, This is Agent Lucy Gru-Wilde of the Anti-Villain League…" she spoke to her phone. "I have the accomplice of Felix Grudgeman, please send word to Mr. Ramsbottom…"

As she finished her call, the two came out of the mall entrance and went to Lucy's car which parked at the front of the mall. She opens her car door and tries to get the old doctor in.

"Lucy, please, you don't understand…" Nefario began as she pushes him inside her tiny blue car. **"Felix is the real enemy here, not me..."**

"Sorry, Nefario…" Lucy said to him, her green eyes filled with slight regret as her door hang open "But I have to do this, I'm doing this for Gru…"

"I know, but you don't get it!" Nefario said, **"Gru hired Felix and replaced me!** If you arrest Felix, Gru will get arrested too…"

Lucy's eyes popped in shock, "Hold on, **you know about Gru and Felix working together,** all this time?"

" **Uh-oh…"** Nefario gupled, realizing that he just spoke something out.

"How long have you keeping this?" Lucy demanded for answers, her face glares onto him "Where does Felix come from? Why is he here? **Did Gru really hire him?!"**

Frightened by her assertive gesture, Nefario grabs the car door and slams it closed.

" **HEY!"** the angry Lucy cried and starts pounding the car window, " **OPEN UP!** I'm not done talking to you yet…"

" **Sorry, but I have the right to remain silent…"** the scared old doctor remained her and locks the door.

All this tension has gone into his head that he accidentally popped some part of the information about Gru and Felix. Nefario felt confuse, he couldn't risk the safety of his good friend by exposing Felix. But at some point, he's tempted to report him too. But if he does, **what will happen to Gru?**

Then, Nefario spotted a group of black cars driving its way to the Paradise mall, and had Lucy and her car surrounded.

Agents in black coats burst out of the black cars and went to her tiny blue car. Among those cars, Silas Ramsbottom came out from the passenger's seat and approaches to Lucy.

"Well done, agent…" he said to her, "I was hoping you would arrest Gru as an accomplice but I never thought his old friend here is involve too…"

"It's the least I can do, sir…" Lucy replied, "I still need more proof to his involvement…"

Silas stares her for awhile, thinking that she is still holding back. He knows that it won't be easy for her to accept her husband's connection with the new villain, but as an agent, she will soon understand **that her duty is more important than everything and everyone around her.**

Then, he looked at her car with Dr. Nefario inside. He watches as the other agents tries to take him out of the car without any use of force. _We may not have Gru or Felix…but at least we have him as legal source…_ He thought, thinking that this investigation is about to start as they arresting Nefario and **takes him to interrogation.**

 **END OF CHAPTER NINE**


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